As a Hen Gathereth Her Chickens

We have all been reeling from the senseless and terrible tragedies that took place this weekend in El Paso and Dayton.  It is impossible to imagine the kind of terror those involved experienced as they were suddenly being massacred by bullets all around them.  I give my meager attempt to pay tribute to those 22 in El Paso and 9 in Dayton who were killed and pray for those families and friends left behind to mourn their deaths.  As I look at the stories of the lives of these 31 victims, I’m struck by the brave way that some died protecting others.  Being a father of young children the story of Jordan and Andre Anchondo at the El Paso Walmart is particularly heart- wrenching.  One new account relates, “As the gunfire erupted, Jordan, 24, shielded her baby… Andre, 23 jumped in front of his wife.”  Both were mercilessly slaughtered but they died heroically saving the life of their baby who now had no parents.  In a similar story, another man named “Dave Johnson, 63, died shielding his wife Kathy and their 9-year-old granddaughter, Kaitlyn, from the hail of bullets.”  He saved the life of his wife and granddaughter by offering up his own in a noble act of heroism.  The legacy of these victims will surely be passed on for generations to inspire others to live lives of love and selflessness and reject the hatred and violence thrust upon so many this weekend. 

               As I’ve pondered these tragic stories and the noble way in which family members gave their lives to save others, I was led to think about the powerful imagery given to us by the Savior of His love for us.  He exclaimed to the people at Jerusalem, “How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings” (Matt. 23:37).  He repeated this same thing to the Nephites, saying, “How oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you. And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings … yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not. O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart” (3 Nephi 10:4-6).  He has gathered us, He would gather us, He would have gathered us, and He will yet gather us like a hen gathers her chickens under her wings.  In our dispensation He lamented in these same terms again, saying, “O, ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!” (Doctrine and Covenants 43:24).  I remember a story told by my religion teacher that brought this imagery home for me.  As I remember it, he told a story like this one of a time when a mother hen was in a fire and completely burned to death.  When they opened up her up wondering why she had not fled the flames, they found several chicks alive under her burnt wings.  They were saved because the mother hen sacrificed herself in the fire, protecting them.  That is what these victims did for their family members this weekend, and that is what the Savior has done for us.  Though He may not always spare us the tragedies of this mortal life, because of His great sacrifice and atonement for us, all that has ever been wrong will be made right in the end.  Because he willingly gave His life to die for all mankind, we can all conquer death and  evil.  Jesus Christ is “the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death” (Mosiah 16:9).  Our hope is in Him and our trust is in His endless grace to right all the terrible wrongs that must be endured in mortality.  Because He gave His life, all those who have died will live again in glory.