Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Holy Innocents

I went in to my office today to meet with a friend to plan a funeral.  Life and death have a way of seeking space in the places we have marked out for celebration and rejoicing alone.  In actuality, both come together, all the time.  Remembering the Feast of the Holy Innocents three days after Jesus was born is simply recognizing this.

They ask why we have to remember
Such a thing
At Christmas.
The angels and shepherds;
The wise men on their way;
The Star shining;
The beaming parents
The newborn Prince of Peace
All somehow escaped
The plot.
All slipped out
Another way.
Shepherds back
To their flocks,
Angels back to heaven,
Wise men back to their country
Of wisdom.
Why do we have to remember
Such a thing
When everything turned out fine
In the end?
Why at Christmas?
Why can*t we just hold on
To the good parts?

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