Gordon Linney
The Gospel reading for Holy Innocents’ Day, which we keep tomorrow, tells of King Herod’s brutal massacre of children two years old and under in Bethlehem in an attempt to destroy a perceived threat to his throne by the birth of the baby Jesus. Men hungry for power recognise few boundaries.
Just two weeks ago in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, Taliban gunmen attacked a school and murdered 132 children in their classrooms along with nine of their teachers. There are no words to describe such a crime. It is impossible to understand the depraved and twisted minds of those who do such things or the ideologies that motivate them.
We focus on this tragedy because it is so concentrated and immediate; evil, brutal men gloating as they stand over and butcher innocence. But it is not restricted to Pakistan – just think of the children of Gaza, of Syria, of Vietnam and yes, even Omagh and Warrington. There is a deadly flaw in human nature that allows us to do such things or condone them. It scuppers any notion that humankind is on an upward path to moral decency.
Yet there are glimmers of hope even in the darkest of times. We were reminded lately of the centenary of the so-called Christmas truce of the first World War when German and British soldiers gave up war for a few short hours to celebrate Christmas. It is said that it started with German soldiers singing carols in the dark of Christmas Eve. Then at first light on Christmas Day some Germans emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines calling out “Merry Christmas”. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with their enemies. Gifts were exchanged and there is at least one documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing football.
A few weeks ago that event was marked by the dedication of a memorial at Britain’s National Memorial Arboretum. It was designed by 10-year-old primary school pupil Spencer Turner from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and features a British and a German soldier shaking hands – a significant symbol given that the open hand, free of sword, is a sign of peace.
It is impossible to imagine the horror of life in the trenches yet even in the awfulness of those times when Christmas came their thoughts turned away from war to home and loved ones and happier times. As they sang their carols, exchanged gifts and played football for just for a few precious hours they hoped against all the odds for something better. It is almost as if they had an instinct that there had to be a better way if only people would seek it.
The Book of Common Prayer provides a prayer to be used in the Church of Ireland during Advent. It begins: “Almighty God give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armour of light . . .” It faces up to the fact that the dark side of life is an ever-present reality. It also underlines the fact that we need God’s grace, “the armour of light” to give hope to those who have little hope or none.
In the various commentaries on that first World War truce much has been said about a game of football which may or may not have taken place but very little about the Christian faith that inspired those men to recognise that that day of all days was about peace on earth and goodwill towards men, a day when the light of Christ shone in the darkness.
Hubert van Zeller, a Benedictine, wrote: “The world may be in darkness but this should not upset us. Christ is the Light of the world. If we bring this truth into the context of our own experience we must know the light inaccessible has invited us to enter into this light. He has asked us not merely to reflect it but to be it.”