I had just finished reading the 10 commandments. Surrounded by friends and community, it felt as glorious as the Jews must 
have felt standing at the foot of Sinai (minus the actual thunder and lightning). Nearly 50 people had gathered to reexperience our nation's defining moment (and eat some cheesecake). The mood was upbeat during our first full on Torah reading. A special highlight was when the children had gathered around the bimah, the podium upon which the Torah is read, for the reading of the Big 10. The brunch that was to follow was a spectacular spread of cheesecakes, lasagna, quiche, bagels & lox (of course), an ice cream bar, and more.
And then I heard the news. For the previous 36 hours, I had been in a blissful technology-free zone, in honor of Shabbat and the holiday. Someone shared with me the devastating news of what had occurred in Orlando. A senseless act of hate. And this news, after having just read the unambiguous commandment not to commit murder.
As we offer our thoughts and prayers for those who lost loved ones or were otherwise affected by this terror, let us also make a positive difference. Torah values Life. Life is sacred to the point that nearly every Mitzvah can and should be desecrated in order to save even a single life. Let's take a stand and appreciate the lives of those around us, even those whom we may have never met, or whom we disagree with.
Another thought: A part of why this tragedy is so shocking and strikes a chord within each of us, is the setting. The use of a war machine in a nightclub in the midst of music and dancing; an alligator attack at Disney, the happiest place on earth (even though obviously, you can't compare), a stash of weapons recovered next to a Petaluma park. Incredible evil beside joy and happiness is what sets us off, and makes these even worse than they already are (despite there being no "good" place for any of these).
The response that it should elicit is to combat it with "senseless acts ofkindness". That through the tears and the hurt, we should double our efforts to increase in acts of kindness, light and love. To obliterate the darkness by dominant waves of goodness. This is the mission that we were entrusted with at Sinai, and which we continue to carry today; to infuse this crass physical world with G-dliness.
A camp song that I grew up with quotes the famous Chassidic master the Ba'al Shem Tov:
For seventy-eighty years,
A Neshama (soul) wears and tears,
Just to do a favor for another,
Love him with all your heart,
The heavens spread apart,
For every Jew is really our brother.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush
ב"ה