Archives: Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway? #13Remembering the Holy Innocents |
A Service for December 28th (revised)
"The Day of the Holy Innocents," a day set aside to remember the slaughter of the children in and around Bethlehem, is often forgotten in the midst of our Christmas and Epiphany celebrations. This service attempts to reclaim this important day.
Take this opportunity both to remember the slaughter of the holy innocents and be reminded of the vulnerability of children today. Consider where children are at risk in your community.
A Service of Remembering
GATHERING:
Sing "Jesus Loves Me" or "Away in a Manger"
GREETINGS
Tonight we gather in the Christmas season
to remember things of old.
And in thinking of days long past
to think about the here and now.
We come to celebrate children
and to remember their vulnerability.
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 2:1-18
INTRODUCTION "The Dark Side of the Christmas Story"
There are two stories of the birth of Jesus in the gospels. The story told in the gospel of Luke is one of a pastoral scene with a stable and shepherds quietly watching their flocks on the hillsides outside Bethlehem. The story, as it is told in the gospel of Matthew is a little different (Matthew 2:1-18). Although we don't usually read this story until after Christmas Day, we know the plot well. It is the story of the magi following a star to find the Christ Child in Bethlehem. It is also the story of Herod. The tyrant Herod has learned from the magi that a baby has been born who will be "King of the Jews." Due to his limited power under the Romans, Herod is jealous of the would-be King. He will stop at nothing to find the baby Jesus and kill him.You know the rest of the story. After receiving a message in a dream, Joseph gets up in the middle of the night, takes Mary and the baby Jesus, somehow sneaks through Herod's palace guards and the Roman soldiers on the outskirts of Jerusalem and gets away to Egypt. Jesus is saved from Herod's wrath. But many others are not. In an attempt to destroy the newborn King and insure his own grip on power, Herod orders all of the boy babies in the area around Bethlehem to be killed. And so the prophesy was fulfilled: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children. . . ." This is what is known in church history as "The Slaughter of the Holy Innocents."
From very early in its history, the church set aside a day - December 28th - to remember the massacre of the innocent children of Bethlehem. Since few churches today observe the Day of the Holy Innocents, this scripture is seldom read during the Christmas season, and rarely read at all. It is a shame that we have lost this day from our traditional Christmas observances, because this part of the Christmas story goes beyond the quiet beauty of Christmas Eve to the real world into which the baby Jesus was born. And it takes us from the romantic beauty of our Christmas celebrations to the real world in which we live. For today, it is enough to be warned that when we ignore the harsh realities around the birth of Jesus, we are tempted to rest in the comfort of Christmas fantasies and divert our eyes from the harsh realities of our world.
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
- Leader:
- Let us come before God with our prayers, trusting in a God of love and hope, of justice and forgiveness. For all babies, especially for babies born too soon or too small, that they will receive the special care they need,
- People:
- O God, hear our prayer.
- Leader:
- For all children, especially for the children who are left behind to care for themselves or who don't receive good quality care, that they will receive the nurturing they need to develop their potential,
- People:
- O God, hear our prayer.
- Leader:
- For all youths, especially for the youths who don't feel loved or hopeful, that they will find adults who will share your love for them, who will open doors of possibility, value and support,
- People:
- O God, hear our prayer.
- Leader:
- For all parents, especially for the parents who struggle to provide for and nurture their children in the midst of poverty, violence and racism, that they will find support in you and through their communities,
- People:
- O God, hear our prayer.
- Leader:
- For our nation, that we will reorder our priorities to manifest a just and more caring reflection of your vision for creation,
- People:
- O God, hear our prayer.
- Leader:
- For ourselves, that we might find renewed inspiration and guidance in our efforts with and on behalf of children and families,
- People:
- O God, hear our prayer. Amen.
Additions to the Service
SPECIAL MUSIC - "Lully, Thou Little Tiny Child" This fairly familiar Christmas carol from the sixteenth century laments the death of the innocents. "As Rachel Mourned the Children" by Mary Nelson Keithahn, available in...
PRESENTATION - "Children at Risk" Invite a representative from a program helping children in your area to take part in your event.
REFLECTION - the role our family, group or congregation might play in making our town a safer place for children.
HYMN - such as "Hymn of Promise" from The United Methodist Hymnal, #707. Use this hymn or choose one from your tradition that seems appropriate.
BENEDICTION
AUTHOR: Milo Thornberry, former director of Alternatives, has served as a pastor in Alaska and Oregon.
The original, complete resource
This page last updated 20 October 2012
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