“…not only [Creation] but we also…groan as we wait patiently” (Romans 8:23)
I was struck by something written in Christian Century this week about this season. In the post, Daniel Schultz reminds us that Christmas, while a time for rejoicing, is also a reminder that the redemption of all things is, in fact, incomplete (https://www.christiancentury.org/blog-post/sundays-coming/long-way-go-isaiah-92-7-luke-21-20). The very season of Christmas attests to this. We move from the celebration with the shepherds to the stoning of Stephen. And, then, the slaughter of the Holy Innocents.
This day of the year is not a pleasant one to meditate upon. One would have to be heartless or willfully ignorant to not think of some part of Creation that is not a victim of humanity’s fear, jealousy, or ambition. Herod, Matthew’s account tells us, had all children under two years of age killed in order to eliminate this potential political rival. This “newborn king” was a threat to his power. He was fearful of what might happen. He was jealous regarding his position.
And we are called this day to think on those who our broken nature has harmed and to whom it is bringing suffering and pain. This could be the immigrants and refugees held in detention at our borders here in the United States. It could be the animals who are mistreated, neglected, or abandoned like trash. Or, it could even be the fragile world that we continue to wound.
I find it difficult to sit with the thoughts of these Innocents. I want to push them out of my mind; because, I begin to slip into despair. There is too much pain, too much suffering, and the healing of any of it seems beyond me. In fact, I am not only reminded that the work of redemption is incomplete, it seems impossible for it to be accomplished.
In truth, it is, at least for me. And, I suppose, for you. Christ alone, perhaps, could have done it. But he instead left it in our hands, our hands. And we are called to the Innocents of the world in order to save, heal, and comfort those we can.
Come Christmas next year, we will still mourn Innocents past and present. But, as we each take our task, there will be fewer in grief than there are this year.