This year the First Sunday after Christmas is also Holy Innocents Day. St. Matthew 2 tells us about the cruel act of King Herod I. Hoping to eliminate the threat of the Messiah to his dynasty, the king ordered the execution of male children in Bethlehem under two years of age. This reminds us that even at the time near Christ's Birth, evil, sin, and death were still at work. The Christ Child was feared and hated, and His innocent contemporaries were killed. The world is still much the same. The holy child is still not universally welcomed, and evil people still destroy the innocent to preserve power, wealth, and comfort.
Despite such evil, God's work continues. Herod did not succeed in destroying the incarnation of God's truth, love, and grace. In our day, there are similar realities. Evil still causes much suffering, even of the most innocent. However, God's redeeming work is not defeated. Truth, love, and grace continue and will continue to the end of the age and beyond! God's goodness triumphs over evil!
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