Why this feast on the church calendar so soon after Christmas? Why the martyrdom of Stephen on the day after Christmas? At times, I say, "Oh no!" to the church calendar. How can I help but think of the holy innocents in Newtown, Connecticut? And the firemen in Webster, New York, who were killed by the arsonist when they arrived to fight the fire? And the innocents killed daily by gunshot here in the US?
Collect of the Day: The Holy Innocents
We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.No more words.
Picture from margaret at leave it lay where Jesus flang it.
UPDATE: From Andrew Gerns at The Lead.
Let us remember the 150th anniversary of the hanging of the Dakota 38.
On December 26, 1862, the day after Christmas, 38 Dakota men and two others were executed. The hangings were the result of the Dakota War of 1862, which was to end of the Dakota people from living in the state of Minnesota. President Abraham Lincoln, the freer of the slaves ironically, ordered their executions.
