Keep Herod in Christmas

This rather unusual title for the next chapter in Brian McLaren's book, We Make the Road by Walking, is intended to get us thinking!  The Church keeps December 28 as 'Holy Innocents Day' but of course, because it falls within the Christmas holiday, it is rarely observed.  Perhaps it is natural that we should want to bury uncomfortable news away somewhere, just as tyrants like Herod go to great lengths to conceal their atrocities. But the truth is that following the visit of the Wise Men, King Herod launches a massacre on all new-born baby boys, in an attempt to destroy a potential rival to his throne.  As a Roman puppet king of Judaea, and a non-Jewish ruler of the Jews he has a real identity crisis and is desperately insecure. He has already murdered his wife and his sons, fearing they are plotting against him. What's a few more expendable lives, to secure his position?

Herod's presence in the story - and the fact that he remains undefeated here, unlike the baddie in the pantomime - is significant. It prevents us becoming too sugary about Christmas, and reminds us that Jesus was a real person born in real time, with just us much danger and brutality as in the present. We are reminded that children always suffer most in times of war, becoming pawns in the power games played by grown-ups. So today, we continue to mourn for today's child-victims. To be alive in the adventure of Jesus is to face at every turn the destructive reality of violence. (McLaren p90)

I am also struck by the contrast between Herod and Joseph. Whereas one is cruel, tyrannical and self-interested, the other is kind, generous and selfless; where one is godless and vain, the other is believing and obedient. And above and beyond the protectiveness of Joseph there is the divine protection of the Father for his infant Son, reminding us that in the care of children and vulnerable people we are exhibiting the very nature of God.

I told this story in church this morning using clip-art pictures from this website: http://www.freebibleimages.org/. There is some marvellous material here for sermons, school assemblies and classrooms. I recommend it!