The Feast of the Holy Innocents

Written by Blake Plympton

A Note from the Author

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After writing this reflection and having it edited by other people, it has come to my attention that this is a difficult concept to understand and grasp. Even as I tried to explain it, I found myself being challenged in unique ways. There is a lot happening in the text of Matthew and Exodus. There are theological realities that are being conveyed without the attention they need based on the length and intention of these reflections. That said, I would love to talk with you. If you have any questions, please reach out so I can give you a phone call, meet you for coffee, or sit in my office with you. This is not something talked about widely in the church and is new for many of us to reflect on. Thank you for taking the time to stop, meditate, question, pray, and challenge yourself in this season.

-Blake Plympton

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“16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 ‘A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.’”

Matthew 2:16-18

It is hard to imagine that someone could be so evil that they would commit such a heinous act. The murdering of hundreds or thousands of innocent infants is completely inexcusable. Yet, it is because these infants whose lives were taken, that our Lord and savior was saved from this disaster. In order for us to grasp the depth of this sacrifice, let us take a journey back through the history of the church beginning with scripture.

I cannot help but think of the parallels of this story and the story of Moses found in Exodus 1 and 2. The new King of Egypt at that time feared the number of Israelites in the land. So, he began to oppress them ruthlessly. They were forced to make bricks and mortar, to build his storehouses and other fine buildings for him, and they worked long hard days in the fields. But, as the king continued his oppression, the Israelites increased in number and continued to spread abroad. At this point, the king decided to have the midwives kill any male child upon birth.

After receiving their orders, the midwives refused to do this, letting the male Israelite boys live. It is through their actions that they found favor in God’s sight. Upon confronting them again, the King’s midwives deceived the King saying that the Israelite women were too vigorous in childbirth and would give birth before the midwives arrived. At this point, the King takes drastic measures and commands all the Egyptian people to throw the Israelite male babies into the Nile. It is here that Moses’s mother— in a desperate attempt to save her son— makes the basket for him and puts him into the river saving his life.

In these two stories, you have these innocent lives being taken, saving the life of one. In Exodus, the Israelite babies were thrown into the river by the Egyptians while Moses would be spared. It was then God that chose Moses to be the messenger to the Israelites and deliver them from the oppression of the Egyptians through the waters of the Red Sea. In a more significant way, it was all the children two and younger, whose lives were taken to save Jesus, the savior of the world. These innocents paved a way for Jesus to enter into the world and save it, so that through our rebirth and baptism, we might be saved.

I cannot help but grieve for the loss of these babies hundreds of years ago. The slaughtering of innocent children should never be looked upon as a good thing. Even in the stories above, we do not celebrate the massacre of these children, we celebrate the grace of God that saved Jesus through the lives of these children.

As I walk away from this reflection, I am so thankful for the nieces that I have been able to know and love over the years. My heart is filled with joy and delight when I come home to this little girl who yells, “Uncle Blakey!” with the biggest smile on her face and excitement to see me. It brings me joy to see the kids of our church running around having unadulterated fun. And I smile every time I hear an infant in our service knowing that they are safe, being soaked in the word of God, and being fed at the table.

As we think about this feast it should draw us to care for the innocent children today. In 2019, there were 916,460 abortions in the United States. In 2020, there were reported to be 930,160 abortions. If we truly believe that life begins at conception, then we must continue to fight for these lives. Our country has seen a great victory with the overturning of Roe V. Wade this past year, but there is still a lot to be done to save the lives of these babies. So, may we move forward in the world, standing up for this group of vulnerable, and innocent people in our society. Finally, as we await the second coming of our Savior, may we be willing to lay down our lives for the Kingdom of God at any moment.

Collect (2019 BCP, p. 625)

Almighty God, out of the mouths of children you manifest your truth, and by the death of the Holy Innocents at the hands of evil tyrants you show your strength in our weakness: We ask you to mortify all that is evil within us, and so strengthen us by your grace, that we may glorify your holy Name by the innocence of our lives and the constancy of our faith even unto death; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who died for us and now lives with you and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.