01 Jan SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2023
Christmas lectionary readings speak to both the birth and death of hope. In brand new people, relationships and life endeavors, hope is born… before fear of things not working out are introduced through additional players and other forces coming to bear.
In Joseph and Mary there’s new fear. After successful registration in Bethlehem as a married couple with a newborn male, fear extends beyond the child’s healthy birth and the mother’s full recovery. In and around Bethlehem, the worst fears become fully realized. Hearts full of love for infants, children and grandchildren, sons, grandsons, siblings and nephews are severely injured and broken as anyone age two or under dies swiftly under a soldier’s sword.
How can that be? Just a week ago, weren’t we singing in celebration of heavenly peace? Weren’t we singing of a dear little baby asleep on some sweet hay that brought joy to the world, good news of great joy to all people? Could the shepherds and heavenly angels have been wrong? What happened?
It seems as though reality hit. In just a short time, history’s bound to remind us that joy cannot be nor continue while sin continues. While sin is present, so will distress. Wherever danger threatens or those in power act unjustly, fear is present. When people do not behave correctly nor follow rules of morality or fairness, death will occur.
Let’s look at the medical statistic of infant mortality. Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths per 1000 live births over a specified span of time. That time is gauged differently around the world. In the US, it covers a wide range: from the moment of conception up until a child’s first birthday. In other countries, the range doesn’t count infants as children until they’re born and infant death is limited to a range within the first six weeks of life.
Just in case you’re wondering, the latest statistics available for the year 2020 range from more than 80 per 1000 live births to less than 2. The ten countries with highest infant mortality are all found in Africa, the ten with the lowest rates are places like Iceland, San Marino in N. E. Italy, Estonia in Eastern Europe, Slovenia in Central Europe, Norway, Japan, Singapore, Finland, Montenegro, central to the Mediterranean and Sweden.
King Herod
In Jesus’ time during the reign of Herod, the metrics of infant mortality included toddlers up to two years of age. The percentage of live births who died before their second birthday in and around Bethlehem rose to one hundred as 1000 out of 1000 children born alive during Jesus’ time all die before their third birthdays.
Not one person, but sin itself was responsible. One person gave the order, but hundreds carried out the heinous act of murdering innocents. Sin empowered evil under the command of an evil king. But sin didn’t stop there. It gave people who were otherwise called to be servants of the law, strength to kill. It hardened them with determination to ignore pleas for mercy, to discount desperate hysterical mothers and other relatives of the victims slain. There was nothing humane about this slaughter, only much pain, suffering and distress.
Why was Jesus spared? Because at that time it was too early to shed his blood. Killing Jesus as an infant or toddler wouldn’t accomplish God’s divine purpose, to save all babies from every generation from eternal death.
But in all honesty, does the idea of delayed pain, suffering and distress to accomplish salvation for all sound much better than one man’s plan to cause pain, suffering and distress to thousands to insure his own family’s reign? What kind of religion are we practicing here? One that contrasts the gain of one to the gain of all? For sure, but why must there be such pain, suffering, distress, or death, timely or untimely?
Couldn’t God as Benevolent Ruler of the Universe devise some other plan or do otherwise to guarantee eternal life? Sure, we can see the contrast between selfish and unselfish, murder and willing sacrifice, Lord. But why is death necessary? What does it really accomplish in the grand scheme of things?
It seems to me that life and death represent ultimate value, at least, according to our lived experience as human beings on earth. Life and death are equivalent to our existence. They’re all we know of as a way to count ourselves as once being. A name plus dates of birth and death prove, if nothing else, that we were noted… as being born and having died. Accounts of Rachel weeping inconsolably, along with the cries of other victims must be seen and heard as witnesses to lives once full of hope, but now counted as lost.
We don’t always do a good job keeping track of folks. We think like Herod, “Out of sight, out of mind.” We’re often not realistic about where people once counted as members of society become lost. We hear the phrase, “nobody wants to work” without contemplating the number of people removed from the workforce due to death, incarceration, lack of access, transportation, or stability in their lives.
Herod represents anyone who learns and then uses what they learn to gain some advantage. He represents anyone who identifies other persons not as allies, but as threats to a preferred way of existence. Herod represents the moment in time that any of us makes or implements a plan that compliments a lifestyle we hope to achieve, once tasted, or wish to maintain.
Wait. Isn’t that the American Dream? Isn’t that our right, to do as we see fit for the betterment of our families and the next generation? If that’s true, how are we different from Herod besides the fact that we don’t directly order the murder of innocents?
Don’t we, like Herod, sometimes get infuriated and act out? I do. Don’t we sometimes feel entitled to the good life or at least the one we currently possess? Don’t we sometimes feel tricked, ripped off, or like someone should pay? Don’t we also complain of not getting what we deserve and at the very least, want to fight back in defense or out of principle? Why can’t I resist honking my car horn when someone cuts me off, puts another life in peril or acts a fool? Unfortunately, anger often kills, even if it does not take a life completely or immediately.
Evil has limits.
The good news is: Evil has its limits. It cannot destroy all the innocents or avoid meeting its own end. Herod dies. It seems like that’s the only way his anger would abate. Apparently he managed to pass it and his ruthless way of reigning to son Archelaus.
But then, above all human anger, beyond all human desire to rule and preserve control comes an angel of the Lord. An angel who suddenly appears in another dream to Joseph offering specific guidance and literal direction. “Get up with your family and go. Go toward a new place where you will be safe.”
Upon hearing an angel of the Lord speak in that way, how could any parent not trust the Lord’s word and find hope for their family, make a subsequent plan to trek from one land to another, then leave?
Upon hearing an angel of the Lord speak in that way, saying, “Get up with your family and go. Go toward a new place where you will be safe,” how can we, without being God, doubt the sincerity of parents with children or children traveling alone sent by parents toward a new border hoping to ensure their safety?
Why are some let in and others denied? I wonder if those who rule with power can even be trusted to decide who’s worthy of safety (or citizenship)? Perhaps the bottom line of today’s gospel is this:
The fate of parents and children seeking what’s best for their families, including safety, might be best left in the hands of those who reign out of compassion and rule with love, who rule not as humans do, but as God is able.
That’s the good news. God is able because Jesus was willing to not only die, but live. God is able because Jesus was willing to show another way besides the way of control, anger or bloodshed. God is able because Jesus was willing to form and maintain trusting relationships where people make decisions together and all are willing to go the same direction and distance toward a better life and safe existence until everyone is saved. Let us pray.
Jesus, you became fully human, making yourself vulnerable as an innocent babe. You suffered pain and experienced anger beyond what most of us are forced to know. Limit the evil people with power can do. Empower goodness. Speak to those willing to listen to your plan. And thanks for conquering death with and for us so that none perish without hope. In your holy name we offer praise and pray. Amen.