Back to “Normal”

 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi                                   Matthew 2:16-18

Today is January 2, also known as “back to normal” day. The holiday season is behind us, (yes, it is not technically over until January 6) but today is back to work day for many. Holiday travel is mostly over, and today is the real start of the work year. Back to routine has its plusses and minuses. Now we get back to focusing on those daily tasks that have been somewhat suspended for about two weeks.

Now we, in the United States, face an election year that promises to test our will and resolve. We also see a world that is suffering with terrible wars and the suffering of innocents in war-torn Ukraine and Gaza. It is interesting that one of the lesser discussed effects of the birth of Jesus was the suffering of innocent families in Judea. Herod tried to purge the region of possible future rivals by ordering the death of male children under age two.  

Cruelty and evil remain in this world. We like to think that we have evolved as a human race, but the theme remains- without the restraint of the Holy Spirit, human cruelty and devious acts of evil remain.

So, as we return to “normal”, remember that “normal” for some people looks like fear, suffering, and sudden death from oppressors.  

Prayer: Lord, deliver us from evil, Amen