“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:4, that comfort will be given to those who mourn. And for Christians who believe, that lesson offers hope and comfort in times of distress.

Today, it is a thought all should hold fast, as Pike County reels in the wake of a deadly vehicle accident that claimed three lives on Monday.

Brittany Pugh, 24, and her 15-month-old son, Shep, both of Troy, died, as did 38-year-old Teresa Adams of Brundidge. So many unanswered about what caused the accident remain, but for the friends and families of Brittany, Shep and Teresa, the questions run deeper, as does the pain.

Whenever a tragedy like this occurs our community rallies: friends, co-workers, neighbors come together to provide comfort and support. Churches and congregations offer up prayers, for families they know and for those they don’t, linked by a common humanity. Schools and workplaces are affected, feeling the loss and navigating the strange spaces and pauses that follow in the wake of tragedy. We grieve, for those who passed and those who remain behind.

In the upcoming days, the shock will fade. Life will return to normal for some of us. But the mourning will continue.

Please keep the Pugh and Adams families in your prayers and in your hearts. They will need our comfort today and in the weeks and months ahead.