Sunday, January 2, 2005
Week Six, Day One

He was frightened; King Herod was frightened.  Wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?  For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” Scripture tells us that King Herod was frightened and “…all Jerusalem with him.” 

When I read verse 3 of Matthew’s second chapter I think of that old saying, “When Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”  It seems there was something similar going on with King Herod; “When King Herod is frightened, everybody is frightened!” 

When Mama ain’t happy what do we do?  We tread carefully, we speak softly, we act cooperatively, we do whatever we can to create that sense of calm that will help Mama get happy!  There’s a high price to pay if you don’t learn quickly, that it’s Mama’s way…or else!  (apologies to the author’s mother who is NOT prone to this behavior)

When King Herod gets frightened, what do the people do?  They behave extra-cautiously, they whisper the rumors quietly, they display their allegiance astutely, they do whatever they can to create that sense of calm that will help King Herod not to be frightened! There was a high price paid by the ones who didn’t learn quickly, that it was King Herod’s way…or else! 

 Who can blame the ones who do whatever it takes to keep the PEACE?   What’s with those upstarts who won’t just shut up, cooperate, and follow the rules?  They keep disrupting the PEACE with their noisy protests for workers’ rights, healthcare for all, fair wages, racial justice, gender equality, environmental protection, an end to war, and on, and on, and on!  Don’t you just WISH that they’d finally figure out that it’s still King Herod’s way…or else!?   Don’t you just WISH that good causes could come to be without all this risky behavior and fuss? 

Maybe there’s more to it than wishing…