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Submitted by Thomas Budds –
The three biggest events celebrated globally each year are Christmas, Easter, and New Year’s Day. Half the world’s population celebrate the birth and resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ while the world’s calendar implies a ‘new beginning’ each “New Year’s Day”, anno domini…”in the year of Our Lord”. There is also a very profound day during the Christmas season that goes mostly unknown and uncelebrated involving a few of God’s forgotten little children.
In her book, author Taylor Caldwell characterized Saint Luke as the “Dear and Glorious Physician”. Her description of his entering ancient Rome to be with Apostle Paul seems divinely inspired leaving the reader nearly able to experience the cacophonies and stench of this ancient, big city. It is St. Luke who informs us about the angels appearing to the shepherds tending their flocks near Bethlehem.
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord”. They would find this baby lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. We learn about the Magi in chapter 2 of Matthew’s Gospel, they came… “from the east”, searching for “the one who has been born king of the Jews”. We learn the reasons why the Magi take a secret route back to their homes fearing the rath of Herod who felt threatened by the news of a new king. Also woven into the Christmas season narrative is St. Nicholas, the Bishop of Bari.
St. Nicholas was imprisoned by Roman Emperor Diocletian for his Christian faith. His parents were wealthy dying when he was a young boy. He was well-known for attending the Council of Nicaea where the proclamation of the Holy Trinity was “codified” for all Christendom. He was well-known for his secret gift-giving to those in need, and for his generosity and love for children whom he gifted at Yuletide.
Much has been written about his life and deeds. He was legendary for generosity but popularized through his commercialization in Coca Cola advertisements in the 1930s. He’s been the “jolly old soul” in the red suit ever since…Santa Claus with emphasis on his commercial rather than spiritual value, much like the Resurrection celebrated at Easter with egg hunts and bunny rabbits. However, beyond cynicism and commercialization lay another story, a true story, within the Christmas narrative; “The Holy Innocents of Childermas”.
Unlike the Passover as described in Exodus where the Jews swabbed lamb’s blood around their doorways to save their first born from the tenth plague, there was no such warning to the first Christians parents at the birth of Christ.
Mary and Joseph were warned to flee Bethlehem to save baby Jesus from Herod’s murderous henchmen who were ordered to kill all baby boys under the age of two, a number estimated to be around 10. These babies and toddlers are considered by many to be the first martyrs for Christ. Christian records indicate that the lives of these children have been obscurely celebrated on December 28th since the 5th century, the “Feast of the Innocents”, a special day to bless children.
In the cherished movie “It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey’s little girl “Zuzu” remarks, “every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings”. I suggest that every December 28th all Christians ring a bell 10 times to celebrate the “Holy Innocent” martyrs of Bethlehem who “received their wings” upon the birth of Jesus.
Happy Christmas and Feast of “The Holy Innocent”!
One Response
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…
Jesus was born 5th of Tishrei, which was Tuesday, 7 October this year.
Birthday celebrations are of pagan origin. The 2 described in the Bible, Pharaoh’s birthday, described in Genesis 40:20 and Matthew 14:6–10 and Mark 6:21–27, ends with the beheading of John the Baptist. There’s also a mention in Job 1:4.
Tammuz (also known as Dumuzid or Adonis) was a pagan fertility god linked to the cycle of life and death, and his birthday is traditionally celebrated on December 25th.