Matthew 2:16
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
The Christmas season is a time of joy and peace. But that peace doesn't last very long. Today's gospel reading transitions us from the beauty of the birth of Jesus to the slaughter of innocent children because of jealously and threat. It's a perfect reminder that Jesus came into the world to wash away the sin of the world. What can be more sinful or evil than the murder of innocent children in the quest to kill God himself? Most sane individuals would never kill a child. But we see it more and more today with the proliferation of mentally ill and disturbed individuals carrying guns or weapons to cause death.
We read the story of Herod and say, "he's crazy." He's jealous and worried that a toddler will usurp his reign. Yet how often are we Herod? How many of us know people who are jealous or threated of a situation at home, at work, in your neighborhood? Many of us might do anything to protect our status of employment or position in the company. Sometimes that might come at the destruction of others, through setting them up for failure, put downs, gossip, etc. Maybe we don't kill them physically, but we do spiritually or emotionally with our words, our actions, or even our neglect. Pray today for the wisdom to loosen the bonds of jealousy so that we can all get along. Pray also for the children killed by abortion, those killed by gun violence and those suffering from mental illness.
