“What Herod did then, is still being done by so many present day Herods. This scarred and wounded world is the world into which Jesus was born, the world he came to save, and amongst those brought by his blood through the grave and gate of death and into the bliss of Heaven are those children of Bethlehem who died for his name without ever knowing him.”
So Malcolm Guite introduces his poem on the occasion of the commemoration of the Holy Innocents, the Hebrew children of whom Herod ordered the massacre, in an attempt to do away with a perceived challenger to his power. This poem is found in Guite’s anthology, Waiting on the Word.
REFUGEE
We think of him as safe beneath the steeple,
Or cosy in a crib beside the font,
But he is with a million displaced people
On the long road of weariness and want.
For even as we sing our final carol
His family is up and on that road,
Fleeing the wrath of someone else’s quarrel,
Glancing behind and shouldering their load.
Whilst Herod rages still from his dark tower
Christ clings to Mary, fingers tightly curled,
The lambs are slaughtered by the men of power,
And death squads spread their curse across the world.
But every Herod dies, and comes alone
To stand before the Lamb upon the throne.
-Malcolm Guite
You can read the whole post and hear Fr. Guite reading his poem here: “The Holy Innocents (Refugee)”
Gladsome Lights 
Our Pastor preached the two sermons before Christmas about how Jesus was protected and prophecy fulfilled. Protected from evil Herod. From Bethlehem to Egypt to Nazareth all foretold.
Thanks for this piece from Guite.
I trust you had a good Christmas. Happy New Year to you.
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Thank you, Ellen! I’ll write a little something soon about my very good Christmas. Happy New Year to you and your family! God is with us ❤
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He is so fantastic. The sonnets seem to just pour out of him, but no matter how many, the deep faith and understanding are there.
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Do you watch his YouTube videos, Lisa? I’m always amazed to hear him speak about anything, because of the lines from poems and Scripture that also pour out of him. To think how much he has memorized… I wonder how he accomplishes it.
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No, I don’t! Do you mean on his blog, reading these poems? Or something else?
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Here’s a recent video. You can subscribe or join the channel if you like: https://youtu.be/9Nfh6AJKBZE?si=J75X0xHPH8cPcP_n&t=1 You will love these!
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Okay, I need to watch these! Thank you!
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Here’s one on the Psalter https://youtu.be/BVjShzpEwQk?si=mjXh7ZEx2SvmkNSf&t=1
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I put it under “watch later”!
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https://youtu.be/WJEnpJueEYs?si=j5vzsBfLrIunjIMi&t=1 He’s a serious and jolly pipe-smoker, and here he is in the U.S. on that topic 🙂
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Okay! Yes, he is quite like a hobbit, isn’t he?
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Okay, I just saw the Father Christmas one. Delightful!
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