Holy Innocents

"And there was a voice heard, Rachel weeping for her children.."Matthew 2:18

There are lots of things that puzzle me in scripture but nothing more than this story from the birth of Jesus. Was Herod's anger so great that he would slaughter all the young children in the area under the age of two? And would people really abide with this kind of ruler? I shutter to think what it must have been like for those mothers and fathers who were rejoicing in their newborn one day, and looking with terror as a selfish, threatened king took the child away. It must be the worst agony any parent could suffer - the death of a child. One minute vibrant and alive, the next minute gone.

I often wonder why so quickly after the magnificent celebration of Christmas we have this horror and tragedy to deal with. I am reminded though, that all life is really this - the horror and happiness co-mingling, living side by side. For every joyful family this Christmas there was another living with tragedy.

So today,I want to remember all those who are suffering in this season of Joy. The holy innocents - those who truly don't deserve the trauma they are living. They are all around us. May we have the strength this day to pray for them and reach out in love to all those who are living with the losses of life, right in the middle of this season of light. Mary and Joseph, fleeing to Egypt are in our midst, as are all the Rachels weeping for their lost children. May we be agents of comfort in this hurting world.