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 often wish I did not know about this Holy Day in our Church calendar. I want the night before Christmas back with the beauty of the expected coming of the Christ Child, the music, the singing, the sermon about Emmanuel, God with us.
I do not get to chose what is in the history of the Christian Church. I know. I know. I am free to do whatever I want with my religion. Except that if I do that and pass up what the Holy Innocents is about, I am not being true to who I am as a gay Episcopalian and a Benedictine.
We remember today with great horror and"why, O God" that King Herod slaughtered every male child up to two years old, because he was afraid that the new born King was going to supplant him. This is one scene that Franco Zeffirelli brought home in the Anglo/Italian mini series Jesus of Nazareth depicted with drama that almost makes me sick to my stomach. The screaming amidst the brutality of Herod's warriors putting these babies to the sword and the weeping mothers as the streets are literally filled with blood is heart wrenching.
As in past years, I write today about this Holy Day, and the Wounded Knee Massacre that took place 123 years ago today. A date that is oddly the same as remembering the Holy Innocents. Native Americans were slaughtered during the Wounded Knee Massacre with the same kind of brutality that killed the Holy Innocence back in Bethlehem. The Wounded Knee Massacre is as much a Holy Innocence killing as it is an example of the lack of hospitality that actually destroyed the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. It wasn't homosexuality, as some still insist.
Both of these horrible massacres are the result of political maneuvering for the purpose of safe guarding a sense of insecurity on the part of a King and a government that just cannot allow something that they cannot understand, to roam freely and complete the purpose for which they exist.
When we read about incidents like these, our first question naturally is "where was God?" If God is so Divine and Omni-present and Almighty, why didn't God intervene here?
I cannot answer that question in a way that would make sense. The violence we recall on a day like this, just does not make sense.
What also does not make sense is how so-called "pro-life" people make use of the horrible events we remember today to shame women about abortion. It is a terrible abuse of pastoral and religious authority to use this day on women who are so often victimized by men in cases of rape and sexual assault. Women who are experiencing complications with their reproductive organs and need to make a decision about the fetus and the consequences she will face socially if she decides to abort, don't need reminders of how painful such a decision is. Yet, many "pro-lifers" insist on using this day to pile on the guilt.
Days like this can also be a reminder of how Christianists and others who still use the Bible to condemn lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people; particularly youth. LGBT and questioning youth who are trying to understand who they are and why they are so different from others who don't have these feelings in side of them that they are so afraid of. They hear messages about how "As a Christian, I believe with all my heart that homosexuality is wrong." (See the movie For the Bible Tells Me So for the quote). The innocence of a pure heart that wants to love herself/himself the way they are and know there is a place for them and God in this world, gets violated as Christianist Pastors invade their sacred spaces. This too is it's own form of a massacre.
How can the Christ Child of Bethlehem heal our broken relationships on a day like this?
I think we have to begin by allowing the Christ Child to help us understand what is in our own hearts. All of us have those things that we think give us a sense of self security. We all have that someone that we want out of our way so we can do as we please. There is someone some where that scares our sense of self sufficiency to the point where we just have to do our political maneuvering. If we are not careful, those feelings can drive us to an emotional violence towards someone whom we just hate so much, that we just cannot let them be who they are.
Jesus comes in the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth to help us know that the Light of God shines into those dark places within our hearts and souls. That Light comes with love and grace to deliver us from our own sense of feeling like the hate that is in our hearts for someone else just cannot be changed or healed. God tells us that it is okay to let go. God tells us that it is okay that we let that individual who is between God and our personal salvation go and be who they are. We don't have to change them. We don't have to like them. We don't even have to be their new best friend. We also do not have to harbor that prejudice and hurt that harms ourselves on their account. The Christ Child says; It's okay to let go.
Today's commemoration of the Holy Innocents teaches us that though we may not feel or see God in the midst of the horrible things that happen; we can be part of the solution if we are willing to let Jesus change our hearts and lives. We can allow LGBT people, women, Native Americans, Muslims, Jews, immigrants and so forth seek to live their lives in peace with all of us. In that peace there there is no need for political maneuvering. Because God in Christ takes these horrible events and uses them to change communities and all humankind if only we will let God's Light shine through the darkness.
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. (Holy Innocents, Book of Common Prayer, page 238).
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know
you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend
us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that
we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of
any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Prayer for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, page 99).
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, page 815).
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