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. – Matthew 2:16 (NRSV)
Why was Herod angry? Was it just because the wise men tricked him, or was it something much more? Was it fear? How much of anger is fueled by fear? What was he afraid of?
Our Roman Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters celebrate a feast day on December 28, the Feast of the Holy Innocents. On this particular day the Gloria is not sung and the Alleluia is not prayed, the clergy once again wear purple vestments symbolizing mourning even in the midst of the Christmas season. We recall that God became a helpless child and that children were slaughtered because of the helpless child God became.
Not an uplifting story, but one of caution in this New Year. It is easy to find the Herods of today. Those tyrants and despots who do anything to keep power and heard about in the news, read about in the wakes of their evil.
However the ancient story invites us to face the power struggles of in our lives. We have all found ourselves in contentious board meetings, gossiping about the lives of others, stuck in office politics, and much more. Our lives are in as much need for a Prince of Peace as during Herod’s time.
In this New Year we are invited to look within and see where we ourselves need the Prince of Peace to bring light into our darkness. We could bemoan the evil of others even while we lash out violently in our own ways, or we can confront the evil within and thereby become a vessel for goodness in this world. The story of whether or not peace or violence will win out in our lives is being written as we live. Let us pray that we live well.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
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