My dear parishioners, King Herod (called “Great”) ruled the eastern Mediterranean at the time of Jesus' birth. The Judean king, exhausted by his relentless pursuit of administering and preserving power, eventually became incompetent and mentally unstable, a final decay not uncommon to ruthless and aging sovereigns. Toward the end of his reign, executions and exiles, palace politics and poisonings were not uncommon. Plots and counterplots, both real and perceived, swirled around Herod’s head like smoke.
Esteemed as a brilliant commander and politician, at least in his early years, and monument builder in his latter years, Herod witnessed his 30-year reign weakened by stagnancy and factional intrigue. Signs were obvious, important decisions lagged, great engineering projects stopped. Herod’s persistent hostility toward subjects and courtiers alike diminished the aging king’s accomplishments and ratcheted up the general discontent of his subjects. Ancient rulers often employed savage methods to eliminate actual or perceived enemies. Herod was no exception. Near the end of Herod’s life, three royal gentiles from Persia arrive in Jerusalem with their small caravan. Jerusalem's inhabitants, weak and powerful alike, consider the arrival of the eastern magi as both auspicious and ominous. Almost immediately, these royal visitors seek out Herod to confirm the oracles of a male child in Bethlehem destined to become King of the Jews.
Haunted by the specter of irrelevance, and fearful of the magi’s revelation, the Judean king deceives his visitors and sets about to annihilate the helpless child. Targeting Bethlehem's innocent male children, the murderous Herod orders his soldiers to slaughter all infants two years and under, lest the mysterious boy “king” rise up one day to overthrow Herod’s dynasty.
“Lully, lullay /thou little tiny child /By by, lully lullay /Herod the king /In his raging /Charged he hath this day /His men of might /In his own sight /All young children to slay.” [Coventry Carol]
Approaching the little tiny child of Bethlehem, the unsuspecting magi learn from Mary that her infant’s name is Jesus, meaning God-will-rescue. After the Persians depart, God decisively intervenes to rescue the Holy Family from Herod’s malevolent plans. Only when the king dies does the Holy Family depart their Egyptian refuge and return to the Galilee.
Fully human, fully God, Bethlehem’s little tiny child grows to manhood in Nazareth. At the outset of his public ministry, the son of Mary and Joseph proclaims a message of deliverance, announcing “a time of favor,” “a day of salvation,” “a covenant to the people.” [Isa 49:8] Jesus of Nazareth yearns to liberate his people from sin and rescue them from darkness. In time, his many followers would acknowledge him as God’s beloved son, the messiah, the Holy One of Israel. He is the Alpha and Omega through whom “all things were made,” [Jn 1:3] the one “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” [Rev 1:8]
To his disciples who persevere in his Gospel, the Son of God promises: “I am coming soon; hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” [Rev 3:11] Thus, the Christ of God is the messiah of eternity, the chosen one “ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead.” [Acts 10:41] When “the day of the Lord comes, the great and manifest day,” [Acts 2:20] he will appear in his glory accompanied by angels and the myriad of heavenly hosts. Sitting on his glorious throne, [cf. Mt 19:28] he will weigh the deeds of leaders and nations on the scales of divine justice. (The vicious Herod will not escape this judgment.) The great assembly of peoples and nations who produce a harvest of justice will receive a glorious inheritance from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords: a Kingdom of Light made ready for them from the foundation of the world. [cf 1 Jn 1:5; Mt 25:34] Sincerely in the hearts of Jesus and Mary. Your pastor, Reverend Richard Barker. +++
My dear parishioners, King Herod (called “Great”) ruled the eastern Mediterranean at the time of Jesus' birth. The Judean king, exhausted by his relentless pursuit of administering and preserving power, eventually became incompetent and mentally unstable, a final decay not uncommon to ruthless and aging sovereigns. Toward the end of his reign, executions and exiles, palace politics and poisonings were not uncommon. Plots and counterplots, both real and perceived, swirled around Herod’s head like smoke.