The Holy Innocents 2008

Sermon for The Holy Innocents Sunday 28th December 2008 Jeremiah 31. 15-17 1 Corinthians 1. 26-29 Matthew 2. 13-18 Christmas does have its magic moments, doesn‟t it! I wonder what yours were this year? I enjoyed watching the faces of the children at school when they visited Santa at the Christmas Fair. And singing carols by candlelight here on Christmas Eve was special, too. But one of the most magical moments for me this year took me rather by surprise. I was watching a programme called „Ten best sacred Christmas songs‟ on television. The programme included some familiar carols, together with classical music favourites, like the Hallelujah Chorus, all splendidly performed by various soloists, choirs and orchestras. And then came a piece which I had never heard before – „The Angels‟ Chorus‟ by the French composer, Berlioz. „The Angels‟ Chorus‟ is part of a Christmas Oratorio, which tells the story of the birth of Jesus and the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. In this particular song a distant angelic choir calls to Joseph and Mary to save the life of their son, who is in great danger, by fleeing into the desert towards Egypt. Mary and Joseph respond:

“Obedient to your orders, pure spirits of life, we shall flee with Jesus into the desert. But grant our humble prayer: Give us wisdom and strength and we shall save him.” And the angels reply: “The power of heaven will guard you on your journey against all disaster.” This is a beautiful song which adds both depth and emotion to the story we heard in today‟s Gospel. In fact, this story of the wise men from the East, Herod the King, and the plight of the Holy Family, plunges us into an intense drama. Where now are the baby asleep in the hay, the gentle mother, the humble shepherds and the angels singing of peace on earth? Today, just three days after our Christmas celebrations, we are reminded that Jesus was born into a world of tension, violence and fear. We read with horror how the well-loved story of the wise men comes to an end – with the anger of Herod and the murder of innocent children. This is a part of the Christmas story which we often forget, or gloss over. I can tell you that in our school nativity play – which this year rejoiced in the title of „The Xmas Factor‟ – Herod, who, of course, thought that he should be the star of the show, simply lost track of the wise men, as they went on their way to Bethlehem. But Matthew‟s Gospel reminds us that Christmas has a darker side, too. The infant Jesus has caring and protective parents, but he is born into a far from perfect world.

Christmas story aside, Mums, Dads and babies have been very much on my mind recently! Our younger son, Harry, is about to become a father. The baby is due to arrive in two weeks time. My nephew, James, is currently serving with the army in Iraq, and will be away until April at least. His wife is expecting their first, long-awaited, baby in March. It‟s an anxious time for them and for all the family. I know that these babies will be welcomed, loved and caredfor, with every modern comfort and convenience. I am sure that their mothers, like Mary, will cherish and nurture their children. I am sure that their fathers, like Joseph, will provide for and protect them, to the very best of their ability. But these children, like Jesus, will be born into a far from perfect world. They will grow up in a restless and troubled time – in a world which is greedy for money and material possessions, a world of rapid technological advance and moral uncertainty, a world in which people jostle for advantage, a world with the potential for environmental disaster. And, while these children will enjoy the benefits of loving families and comfortable homes, many children throughout the world suffer neglect, abuse, hunger, homelessness, sickness and poverty. Some, like the children of Gaza, are innocent victims, caught up in other people‟s conflicts.

Save the Children tell the story of Prince, a baby born in October this year, in Kingsville in Nigeria. Kingsville is a poor village community. A dirty water supply threatens lives and an under-equipped clinic makes treatable illnesses deadly. 1 in 9 children here die before they are five. Prince was born, without medical attention, in the mud hut which his mother shares with her mother. His father has provided some basic essentials for them – soap and nappies, and a lantern so they can see at night. Sadly, he can only provide for them by working miles away from home, for weeks at a time. In the Christmas story, innocent children died as the direct result of one man‟s greed, ambition and paranoia. Sadly, we can see this happening today, too - in Zimbabwe, for example. But today‟s „innocents‟ are just as likely to die because of ignorance and neglect. As Save the Children remind us, „Nothing‟s more precious than a child‟s life‟ – and yet millions of children are left to die needlessly every year. They die from illnesses which are preventable in the 21st century. They die from hunger, though the world has the resources to provide food for all. Above all, they die because of inaction. In 2005, international politicians signed up to Millennium Goal 4, to cut the number of children dying, by two-thirds, by 2015. But earlier this month a Times headline read: “Global aid in crisis as cash supply dries up”

helpless so that he might exalt us all through his mercy and abundant grace.” Professor Sachs, head of the UN‟s Millennium Project said: “It has recently been reported that the number of deeply hungry people has risen to nearly a billion,” he said. “There is an energy crisis, a continuing food crisis, a global economic crisis and aid efforts that are definitely flagging at best.” Today‟s Gospel story is a reminder of the darker side of life. It‟s important to remind ourselves that, while we‟ve been celebrating Christmas and enjoying the good things in life, the problems of the world have not gone away. There are challenges we need to face. “Christmas is a good time to think again about our attitudes to children and about what happens to children in our societies.” This is what the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote in this year‟s Christmas message to the Anglican Communion. He continues: “Christians who recognise the infinite and all-powerful God in the vulnerability of a newborn baby have every reason to ask hard questions about the ways in which children come to be despised, exploited, even feared in our world. We all suspect that in a time of economic crisis worldwide, it will be the most vulnerable who are left to carry most of the human cost. The Holy Child of Bethlehem demands of us that we resist this with all our strength, for the sake of the one who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor, became helpless with the

We do not have to face our challenges alone. That Holy Child of Bethlehem, born in poverty in a stable, is God-with-us and brings into this dark world light and hope – and above all, love. As scripture tells us: “God‟s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us.” Isn‟t this the real magic of Christmas?