This Sunday is the day the church remembers the Slaughter of the Holy Innocents on The Holy Innocent, martyrs Sunday. Much has been written about it. Albert Camus anguished about it in his book The Fall. We have just celebrated with "Joy to the World, the Lord is Come," and with angels heard on high singing "Gloria in excelsis Deo." Amidst new life, we are quickly reminded in Luke that the unimaginable horror of the slaughter of innocent children is part of the Christmas story, too, as Joseph flees to Egypt with Mary and the baby Jesus, being warned in a dream of Herod's treachery and power-lust.
We are also celebrating the baptism of our first grandchild this Sunday, and his uncle, an Episcopal priest, is coming in to minister the baptism. We are at the apex of joy. And yet, just as in the time of the Christ child, we know that innocent children, as well as their parents and other adults, are the victims of violence, terror, disease, illness, accidents, and abuse.
Like Camus, we ask how can this be? Where is God in all this? What does God have to say to Rachel weeping for her children? Tough questions, but not without hope. See the Rev. Pam Fickenscher's "Remembering Rachel: The Slaughter of the Innocents." In the midst of all the horror and tragedy, God sent his Son, whose name has an etymological root of "to deliver, to rescue - to save." As Paul says, "O death, where is your victory... where is your sting? We can say with Paul, "Death has been swallowed up in victory... thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" The message is not only for our great reunion with God in heaven, but to save us now in the midst of our grief, sorrow and pain. You may also want to read The Rev. Dr. James Lamkin's "The New Normal."
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