Requiem Mass
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The slaughter of the innocent.
A story heard over and over and over. So often in fact, we might choice to ignore, to tune out, to disregard.
The voiceless, the powerless, the weak, the small, the less than …they are far too frequently the victims of violence. Those less able to defend, less capable of reason, too trusting, too willing to please, discounted by society, without agency or influence become easy targets for neglect, exploitation and abuse.
All violence is senseless, and harmful and soul destroying. Violence toward children is something we find hard to comprehend. Violence toward children resulting in the loss of life inconceivable …
and yet it happens again and again, the slaughter of the innocent. The statistics are overpowering; once every 4 minutes a child dies as a result of violence in this country, not in bush of southern Sudan, not in deserts of Somalia, not in the mountains of Afghanistan – here in our neighborhoods and on our streets, we can no longer turn away, we shall not ignore.
Violence is a way of life; it pervades all aspects of culture, and not only violence as it immediately comes to mind - the physical kind, we are surrounded by brutality in language, economics, ecology,
politics, and religion.
Jesus welcomed children to come to him. Jesus bids us welcome the weak, the small, the less than,
Jesus invites us to welcome what is tender, what is gentle, what is mild in others and in ourselves. Jesus asks us to welcome a way of engaging with one another, which is not about power and control but rather about connecting to, about being with. Jesus calls us to live linked together welcoming acceptance, honor and discovery and affection and wonder, love and peace.
In 1st century Palestine Herod issued the proclamation that children in Bethlehem be killed to prevent the rise of a new ruler and protect his hold on power. In his fear he acted with violence. To maintain what he had, to keep his position, to demonstrate his dominance, he killed the innocent. Today the name of the ones issuing the order to kill is not Herod, but the reasons behind the violence are the same, fear, anger, greed, power, and control.
In baptism we promise, we covenant with God and each other to live lives that honor our creator.
We pledge together to resist evil, to seek and serve Christ in all people, to respect the dignity of every human being, that is why we gather here this night, that is why we remember the slaughter of the innocent, then and now.
In prayer and song and scripture we proclaim God’s love triumphant, It is God’s love that saves, that rescues, that holds, that restores all God’s children to wholeness. Lives ended tragically are redeemed, children senselessly massacred in systems that promote and honor violence are free and whole and safe.
In the Eucharist we are fed with the food that prepares us to go into the world empowered to proclaim the good news of God in Christ, to preach the Gospel of welcome and love and peace, to stand with all God calls us to love.
In the beauty of the icon of the Holy Innocents’ we are directed away from violence toward redemption, and we rejoice in the promise of a new heaven and a new earth.
So that …we might continue to welcome as Christ did, and extend the welcome of the Gospel in our speech, in our actions, in our support of programs that work to stop violence in our schools, in our homes, on our streets, in our economic and governmental policies.
Mary and Joseph and Jesus escaped Herod’s violence for a time. God interceded in a dream and faithful Joseph responded taking the holy family into Egypt away from the slaughter.
Some might argue that humanity is not capable of peace that the very nature of humankind tends toward violence and destruction. Yet we know we are created in the image of a good and just God and indeed capable of great generosity, immense compassion, and incredible love. We are made for peace, and our heart’s desire is ever orientated toward peace. The kingdom of heaven, the reign of God, is nearest to us, is most visible when we work to promote peace.
God is always interceding in our lives, so let us be faithful like Joseph, listening and responding to God confident in our ability to welcome and protect the defenseless, the young, the weak, the less able, the small.
Let us go forth into our worlds in the sure and certain hope that we are equipped by the Holy Spirit to proclaim again the year of the Lord’s favor, and so prepared do all in our power to end violence, promote peace and shelter the innocent.