Chotard Doll

Dear Friends in Christ,

Immediately following the tender story of the birth of Jesus comes the slaughter of the Holy Innocents. An Angel warns Joseph to flee, but Herod, afraid and in a rage, orders all very young children to be killed.

The picture of Palestine and Israel comes to mind, where those who are innocent are slaughtered on both sides.

But the lectionary wisely pairs the Matthew account with a passage from Revelation (21:1-7), and a vision of God’s restoration. God says that he himself will be with us and he will wipe away every tear from our eyes. John sees “a new heaven and a new earth” and the voice of God saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” God promises that He will be our God and we will be his children.

Without these words of hope and the promise of restoration, all might be despair. The birth of Christ is the pledge of God’s faithfulness and his resurrection is the gift of new life, eternal life in a world where human frailty does not reign.

Faithfully,

—Chotard