Fourth Day of Christmas: The Holy Innocents

Today's Scripture Readings

Jeremiah 31:15-17 (NRSV)

Thus says the LORD:

A voice is heard in Ramah,

lamentation and bitter weeping.

Rachel is weeping for her children;

she refuses to be comforted for her children,

because they are no more.

Thus says the LORD:

Keep your voice from weeping,

and your eyes from tears;

for there is a reward for your work,

says the LORD:

they shall come back from the land of the enemy;

there is hope for your future,

says the LORD:

your children shall come back to their own country.

Psalm 124 (BCP., p.781)


Revelation 21:1-7 (NRSV)

I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

"See, the home of God is among mortals.

He will dwell with them as their God;

they will be his peoples,

and God himself will be with them;

he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more;

mourning and crying and pain will be no more,

for the first things have passed away."

And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Matthew 2:13-18 (NRSV)

When the wise men had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,

wailing and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."

Blog Reflection

I really do not think it is a coincidence that we commemorate the Holy Innocents exactly two weeks to the day since the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.   Indeed, two weeks ago, America witnessed a massacre of innocence.   Or, should we say that we were made aware of the mass murder of twenty innocent children along with 8 adults?   How many other such incidents happen that we just do not know about?

In the past on this Holy Day in our Church calendar I have written about the dangers of political maneuvering.  The slaughter of all of the male children in and around Bethlehem was an act of political maneuvering on the part of Herod.   He was so fearful of being supplanted, that the idea of an infant who was a new born king, was something he just could not leave alone. 

I have also written about the fact that this date of December 28th also falls one day before the anniversary of another massacre that many of us hear very little about.  One hundred and twenty seven years ago, a horrific number of Native Americans were slaughtered in the Wounded Knee Massacre.  A Nation said to be about with liberty and justice for all, turned out to be another set of words that meant everything to some, and nothing to others.  A Nation of liberty so long as one was white, male, of European origin and Christian.  A Nation of oppression and injustice if you were so unfortunate to be a Native American. 

We still live in a time of political maneuvering.  At present we have a looming date for going over the fiscal cliff with the middle class and the poorest among us who have the most to lose.  Every political maneuvering imaginable is being done to be sure that one political party or individual is the one(s) to blame.  But, even if we do go over the fiscal cliff, they have very little to lose.  They will still  have their enormous salaries.  Their homes.  Businesses.  Their high priced places to stay in Washington, D.C.  Those who will really feel the impact of losing their unemployment benefits, and experience the greatest loses, well, they would just be out of luck.  Yet, in an effort to arrive some where, who's benefits are placed as a bargaining chip?  The elderly, retired and disabled.   Is this not another political maneuvering by which innocent people remain at risk?

We were horrified beyond belief two weeks ago.  What we read about in our Gospel today, terrifies us, and for good reason.  But, why are we not so terrified about the thousands of children who are dying every day by drone missiles being fired in Pakistan?   Why are we so apathetic about the many immigrant children who face deportation or being put in prison along with their parents over their "papers"?   Why are we turning a deaf ear to the number of suicides every year of LGBT youth due to bullying?    Why are we not equally concerned about a woman who gives birth to a child, because of all the laws made to make abortion services harder to get, but we have no charity to provide her with funding for housing, child care, education, job training and health care services?

Our Gospel today gives us a glimpse into how much Jesus shares in our human nature.  The child Jesus, his mother and father, were refugees in Egypt.  The Son of God identifies with those who must flee from their homeland to escape oppression and death.  How much are we concerned with the LGBT citizens in a place like Uganda who may have to flee their homes to escape the looming death if the "Kill the gays" bill is passed?

As we continue to celebrate the coming of Christ among us on Christmas, I think we would do well to pray about what role we might play in the ending of injustice and oppression.  It is quite obvious that Jesus did not come to end those things.  Even if the words of O Holy Night says: "in his Name all oppression shall cease."  It is apparent, that oppression is still with us.  Jesus comes to let us know that God suffers right along with us when it comes to injustice and oppression.  God hurts as humans hurt through so much suffering and death. 

God also promises to be with us when we are ready to become proactive in doing something about it.  God knows that there is the Cross involved with doing something about the injustices in this world.  We could very well lose our popularity, prestige or even our lives for doing so.   Whether losing our lives means giving of our time, talent and treasure away from those things we want most, or literally our lives.  God promises to walk with us through those things and to suffer along with us, but also help us to achieve things that only we can do.  But, it all begins when we say yes to God.

Amen.


Prayers

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy
innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray,
into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your
great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish
your rule of justice, love, and peace; through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the
Holy Spirit,, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for the Holy Innocents, Book of Common Prayer, p. 238).

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this
land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as
their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to
eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those
who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of
us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Oppressed, Book of Common Prayer, p. 826).