In the Nativity narration, after King Herod died, an angel appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, telling him: “Get up! Take the Child and His Mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.” (Matthew 2, 19-20). Could we say, however, that the angel misjudged the situation this time?
The Child was never out of danger; his enemies even succeeded in nailing him to the wood of the cross. Ironically, God is still under constant surveillance, being tracked down, vulnerable and helpless in our world, and forever under attack. All forms of violence, aggression, abuse, and trafficking still threaten the Child. God is still being killed when we turn a blind eye to people who suffer from war, poverty, and economic injustice.
Herod disappeared into the history books 2000 years ago, but his friends are still around. The story of the martyrdom of seven Trappist monks of Tibhirine Abbey in Algeria in 1996 narrates a Christmas connection. On Christmas eve of 1995, just as they were preparing to celebrate the Vigil Mass, armed terrorists broke into their monastery, demanding medical supplies. The monks, although traumatised, refused to budge. As the terrorists left, they sang the Christmas mass in their chapel, emphasising how Jesus entered this world radically vulnerable and helpless.
In the days and weeks that followed, the monks were under pressure to leave their monastery, or accept military protection, or arm themselves for self-defence. But the monks believed there was a contradiction between what they had vowed to do and to arm themselves with guns. Instead, their abbot, Christian de Cherge, incorporated a prayer into his daily prayers: Disarm me! Lord, disarm me! Despite the threat to their lives, he prayed daily to remain disarmed against possible attacks, like the newborn Jesus.
The Child – the helpless, vulnerable, and poor people around the world – is increasingly exposed to threats of war, injustice, and persecution as we see daily images of bloodshed, bombings, beheadings, domestic violence, and street violence. The world around us urges us to arm ourselves to resist every threat head-on.
We live in a violent world where political correctness is considered more important than acknowledging the Child. ‘Happy holidays’ or ‘Seasons greetings’ have replaced ‘Happy Christmas.’ How has the most celebrated day on the Christian calendar become the Holiday that Dare not Speak its Name? (Thanks to Oscar Wilde!)
Considering modern times’ anti-Church and anti-Christ climate, can we be realistic in remaining vulnerable and refusing to strike back? The sole reason for the Church to stay defenceless and disarmed is because God chose to be defenceless from the incarnation to his crucifixion. Herod tried to eliminate the infant Jesus, his own townspeople wanted to throw him down the cliff, and the Jews attempted to stone him, but never once did he advocate self-defence and demand the same from his apostles.
Those seeking the life of the Child are still around, like King Herod, killing indiscriminately for fear that a helpless child might soon threaten their throne and their privilege. Christian de Cherge and Saint Oscar Romero are modern-day witnesses to the Gospel who disarmed themselves and risked their lives in the face of violence. Each Christmas challenges us to choose: Get ourselves armed or stay exposed to the forces against God and his Good News. Jose CMF
