28 December 2022
Massacre of the Innocents
In the church calendar, today is known as the Massacre of the Innocents when Christians recall events outlined in St. Matthew’s Gospel right at the heart of the Christmas story. King Herod, hearing about the birth of the Christ child, perceives him to a be a threat to his own kingdom and, just to be safe, orders the execution of all male children under the age of 2 in the region of Bethlehem. Lest we be tempted to sit too comfortably with the nativity narratives, this is a harsh reminder of the brutality still evident in the world, even amid the promise of hope and salvation. There are no easy answers to this horror, only questions and agonising silence.
Today too in our contemporary world we witness far too many “massacres of the innocent” – men, women and children caught up in violence, not of their own making; swallowed up by powers and principalities with no respect for individual freedom and dignity – systems that might be political, religious or economic, but systems that have one thing in common: fear. Power can corrupt and once corrupted, the powerful are fearful of losing their grip and so become ever more controlling, coercive and cruel.
The baby born in a manger 2000 years ago, whose message of peace and goodwill the angels declared, was perceived as such a threat. Years later, in the days before his death, Jesus would again cast fear into the hearts of some amongst the powerful, when he rode on a donkey into Jerusalem and was greeted rapturously by the crowds. Ordered to stop the people from chanting, his chilling response echoes across the centuries and rings a warning bell to all who seek, fearfully and forcibly, to maintain control today: I tell you, Jesus said, if the people were silent, the very stones would then cry out.
Countless experience persecution in many parts of the world, including Iran where Today’s Guest Editor and I both come from. Thousands have been arrested, held captive unjustly or executed; others flee to safety, leaving home, family and friends in a desperate effort to find refuge elsewhere. But courageous and peaceful protestors continue, those who feel they have nothing to lose, still hoping for justice and liberty. Some voices might be silenced but the cries will surely continue. And as it does, I offer my ongoing prayers for the country of my birth, that beautiful and fractured land, with its rich culture and ancient heritage, and a people longing for freedom.
Listen to the broadcast
Listen to Bishop Guli's Thought for the Day on BBC Sounds from 1:50:00. This edition of The Today Programme was guest edited by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
