SCRIPTURE: Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. (NKJV)
REFLECTION: As I read these stories I reflect back on the child-slaughter meant to rid the world of Moses and Jesus. Although it’s difficult to me to consider that anyone worthy of being called a homo sapiens could participate in slaughters such as these, tales from wartime situations confirm mankind today is no better than mankind of old. Each time I read of these mass slaughters of small children I wonder what effect they had on Moses and Jesus. Did the two suffer from survivor’s guilt? Was a part of the intensity of their missions a result of surviving these slaughters? And what about Miriam and Mary (and their spouses)? How did they feel when they met with friends whose children had been slaughtered, while theirs survived? Miriam, of course, couldn’t tell about Moses. She couldn’t reveal his identity or their relationship. But how did Mary explain the survival of her own son? It’s difficult for me to fathom. Was it enough that they all saw, or explained, about the hand of God being in their situation? There must have been bittersweet feelings. Joy that their sons survived, that they perhaps had a special mission. Sorrow at the loss of other mother’s sons. Looking back in history we can visualize the hand of God. But even so, I cringe that there had to be two slaughters of baby male children for God’s purpose. I feel sorrow for the parents of lost children. How would we interpret a slaughter akin to that in today's world? The world is just beginning to deal with the aftereffects of the Holocaust, which left survivors like Robert Mendler of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, with tremendous feelings of survivor's guilt. I don't know how I'd deal with such a situation, a slaughter of the innocents, and I hope I never have to know. And I hope you don't have to know, either. PRAYER: Lord, keep all your children safe in this world. And for the survivors of mass killings, ease the guilt pangs they feel so they can live a fuller life. Amen. ---written by Carolyn | 
