Signs and Power

Four days ago, we were rejoicing at the manger. Today, we hear a story that, unfortunately, is an all-too-familiar tale of powerful rulers using violence to maintain their control and influence. It is a tragic, haunting story, so we encourage you to take care with how to present the story in worship. “Trauma-Informed Worship: Guidelines for Intergenerational Worship” provides some guidelines. We want to treat this story with care in ways that demonstrate love and compassion with our neighbors who are young and/or have experienced trauma, for whom the story may be triggering. We cannot shirk from telling the truth about our world, both then and now. Hiding or ignoring the worst that we can do to one another from one another permits violent systems and actors to continue doing harm.

However, in the context of worship, our job is not to give a news report about atrocities committed. Our job is to point to God at work, even in the worst of what we do to one another. That is the sign this week—the sign of God at work, empowering life in the face of death-dealing powers. So, sing the Christmas carols. Forefront the donkey and the angel(s) on the altar, reminders of those God sends to help deliver us. Have the choir or a small ensemble sing the “Coventry Carol,” a carol from the sixteenth century that recounts today’s scripture lesson in song. Notice how this carol points toward how we, as followers of Christ, might respond to the story of “Herod’s raging.” Pray for the world. Name the places where “Herods” are using their power to hurt and silence the innocent and lowly. Pray for the Spirit to empower all Christians to be messengers and deliverers of life, peace, and hope in the midst of violent powers, so that we may be signs that point to the Incarnate Christ.