Holy Innocents

Dear Friends,

Today is Holy Innocent Day where the Church reflects on the children King Herod murdered to get to Jesus after the Magi never returned. Growing up Baptist, I never heard of this day, or any special days apart from Christmas and Easter. Even Lent, Pentecost, and Advent weren’t really mentioned because some Protestants removed themselves from much of Roman Catholic liturgy, for good and ill. I’ve long felt drawn towards some of these Church traditions. I feel they put a stick in the spoke of my rhythms, habits, and behaviors, causing me to pay attention differently. 

Maybe you need a stick in your spoke today as well.

History writes the brutality and insecurity of the puppet King Herod into its pages, documenting his lust for power at the cost of those closest to him. Matthew’s Gospel accounts Herod’s anxious response to a baby named “King of the Jews” born in Bethlehem. Without any way of knowing which baby he was and how old he may have been, Herod demands all males, infant to toddler, be executed. 

Can imagine the fear and horror coursing through the streets of Bethlehem as soldiers kicked doors down and ripped each child from his mother’s breast, stealing them from their sleeping slumber, removing their breath and future? Did these soldiers come home that night to their own families, tucking their sons into bed while sobbing over their orders? Or did they remain unaffected, removing themselves from feeling anything, simply to survive themselves?

I wonder about the humanity of it all. We have to work at being unaffected by the horror of genocide, abortion, children in cages, child sex trafficking, school shootings, child abuse, and starvation. I wish we had to work harder at being unaffected. I know I’ve built up jaded layers, protecting my heart from the agony of reality. I read about the murder and suffering of Holy Innocents today, privileged to be removed from proximity of pain. 

Last night I watched the movie, Soul, with my children and was reminded, once again, how beautiful and worthy every soul truly is. Each soul and the humanity of every person is a treasure, a gift of incredible worth and impossible value. May we not relegate the Holy Innocents into a political conversation piece or partisan pawns unaffected by our own insecurity and brutality. May we not talk about the Holy Innocents of yesterday and today as a sad story but may we work for an untethered future for these Holy Innocents, treasured souls, of tomorrow. And may we allow the horror of their pain transform any hardened or jaded parts of us into people of prayer and lament. 

For the Holy Innocents, we pray. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

With (love),
Bethany