by Fr. Tommy Lane
It is estimated that about thirty baby boys were slaughtered when Herod gave orders after the departure of the wise men to kill all boys under two years of age, based on the population of Bethlehem at that time (Matt 2:16). Herod had a troubled mentality. He wanted to hold onto power and even a small baby was a threat to him in his own mind. He even flew in the face of God because his advisors quoted the prophet Micah (5:1), as we heard in today’s Gospel (Matt 2:1-12), who had said that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Nevertheless, even though prophesied in Holy Scripture, Herod still wanted to snuff out God’s Messiah and snuff out God’s plan. It caused enormous pain and suffering to about thirty families and surely it did not bring peace to Herod, his soldiers, or his palace.
On the other hand, look at the image of the crèche/crib. It is an image of peace, joy, happiness, and tranquility. This is because instead of trying to snuff out the baby, the baby Jesus is at the center. All eyes are on the baby Jesus. Everyone in the crèche/crib is facing the baby Jesus. The baby Jesus has everyone’s attention. When Jesus is first and center, this is what happens: peace, joy, and happiness.
This contrast between the peace and joy surrounding Jesus and the torment in the king’s mind, in his palace, and in many families, is also what happens today when Jesus is not first and center in our lives. In an interview at the weekend with an American media outlet, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said, “The drift from God . . . is, in my mind, the basic reason for all the woes that we see today—whether it be crime, whether it be family tension, you name it . . . I am the Lord thy God; don’t have strange Gods before me. . . We’ve got strange gods before us now and most of the time they’re ourselves. . . When society and culture taunt us to believe that we are gods, we are in charge of everything, everything revolves around us, we deserve constant entitlements and worship—well, then you're going to . . . shoot somebody who might get in your way. You're going to abort a baby that is inconvenient. You're going to end the life of grandma who’s proved to be quote ‘a burden.’ No, we are not God. There is a God and it ain’t I. But we are tempted to believe that it is. That’s a violation of the First Commandment and that leads to everything wrong that we see today. . . If you listen to the secularists, they would have you believe that religion is toxic for society—and, of course, it’s just the opposite: Religion is the glue, the cohesion, the nobility, the dream, the aspiration, the tempering factor on raw emotions. Religion and faith is what makes culture potent . . . If society would just lean on faith . . . the world would be a better place . . . No wonder we've got the crisis that we see every day.” (Interview on Newsmax on January 1, 2022.)
On the other hand, when Jesus is at the center, what can we expect? Then we can expect the serenity associated with the living out, for example, of Jesus’ Beatitudes, some of which are these:
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and
thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed
are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are
the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the
peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God. (Matt
5:5-9)
When Jesus is first and center, these words of Jesus help bring peace:
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. (Matt 5:43-45)
When Jesus is first and center, everyone benefits because of these words of Jesus:
I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me (Matt 25:35-36)
When Jesus is first and center, we already experience something of the kingdom of God and heaven even here. Surely that is what everyone would want. We can have that by not being like Herod and instead putting Jesus first and center as in every crèche/crib.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2022
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for January 6: Epiphany of Our Lord
God will win the battle against evil 2021
The gift of our love for Jesus 2020
The events of the Epiphany played out today 2013
Jesus’ birth revealed to the nations by a star because Jesus is Savior of all 2007
From star reading, horoscopes, and astrology to worshiping Jesus
Baby Jesus, the Wise Men and Herod (also in mp3 meditation reduced quality)
stories for Christmas