Lest we forget

 
"The Holy Innocents" (Matthew 2:13-23)

Why, O God, must we remember the words

of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents today?

Just days ago, we sought the Christ-child. The heavens exploded with joy and proclamation and we raised our candles as if they were the soft twinkling of stars in the Bethlehem night sky. We heard once again the story of shepherds running from their flocks, to the very place where Love was born and our hearts were filled with their excitement. We are now looking East, toward the horizon for magi bearing gifts and we wonder what gifts might we also bring.

Why, O God …

Why must we remember these Holy Innocents now when we have knelt at a manger to witness Love first-hand? It is less painful and sorrowful for us to close our eyes to all of this.

Is it because there are still Innocents today?

In other countries …

in our own cities….

in our own streets?

Nameless and named?

Is it because there are still Innocents today? Hungry and cold and hopeless? Nameless and named?

Is it because there are still Holy Innocents today? Battered and bruised in the very place they call home? Nameless and named?

Why, O God, must we remember the Holy Innocents?

"Because, my child, there are Innocents in this world today, and mothers are weeping and refusing to be comforted. There are still Herods who have both great power and great fear within them.”

“You must not forget and you must not look away."

© anna murdock