Children

Herod sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under (Matthew 2:16).

            Whenever a charity is trying to raise money or a television journalist is covering a war, natural disaster or famine, their presentation often contains scenes of suffering children. These images drive home the tragic effects of some event by appealing to our emotions. Children are vulnerable and require protection. The viewer wants to help them. Yet, this vulnerability is what makes them an attractive target for tyrants. If you want to force adults to comply with a demand, threaten their children. Another way is to manipulate children to turn against their parents before the young realize what they have done. In wars, famines and extreme poverty it is often children who suffer the most: the last to get medical care, food or shelter. They are reduced to begging or being exploited to survive. They are considered expendable.

            In this text from Matthew, King Herod kills all children two years of age and under living in and around Bethlehem in an effort to eliminate the “infant king of the Jews”. By doing so, he indicates how even children were not protected from his ruthless desire for power.

            Within the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament children were perceived as both a blessing and a burden. Besides the joy associated with new life, they embodied the next generation of the family and extended God’s covenant with it into the future. Children also represented a source of labour for the household and support for parents in their old age. Many children within a family was considered a sign of divine favour. Like widows, orphans received some protection from the Jewish Law and God was especially concerned about them. However, caring for children was an enormous responsibility. During difficult times, like a war or famine, a child was another mouth to feed. Although they were expected to obey their parents, intergenerational tensions frequently arose, especially among the elite. Absolom rebelled against his father, King David, and tried to seize the throne. Yet, the vulnerability of young children was recognized across the generations.

            Matthew’s account of Herod’s killing of the children of Bethlehem highlights the contrast between his power and their vulnerability. Historians tell us Herod was ruthless in his dealings with anyone who appeared to threaten his power. He killed numerous members of his immediate family (wives, sons and daughters-in law) who had plans to replace him in the future. Herod also brutally crushed the efforts of Jewish nationalists to drive the Romans from their territory. Since his family was only half-Jewish, he used construction projects like renovations and additions to the Jerusalem Temple to win support from the people in Judah. The arrival of the wise men from the East and their search for an “infant king of the Jews” would have caught his attention. Once he found this child, another threat to his power would be eliminated. If vulnerable children who were in no way connected to this situation had to die in the process, it mattered little to Herod. Their defencelessness made it easier for him to accomplish his plan. The story of the “slaughter of the innocents” fit perfectly with Herod’s personality and behaviour.

            During this Covid 19 Pandemic, the contrast between the experiences of the powerful and vulnerable is also conspicuous. While many professionals and those in positions of authority can work remotely from the relative safety of home, the clerks who stock shelves in crowded grocery stores, the cleaners who work in Hospitals or Long-Term Care Facilities where the virus is extant and those employed at Fast-Food Restaurants which allow take out orders face increased risk of contracting the virus. They often do not have cars and must rely on public transportation where the chance of transmission is higher. Many do not live in single family homes but crowded high-rise buildings which are frequently not well cleaned or maintained. What is usually forgotten is that many of those who suffer because of these circumstances are children. Even if children are less likely to get the virus, a parent with Covid 19 will have difficulty providing the necessities and proper care for them. The number of cases of the virus and deaths caused by it is far greater among the poor and racial minorities than other Canadians. While many companies report high profits and pay dividends to their shareholders, these children are forgotten.

            This pandemic may provide Catholics and other people of faith with an opportunity to think more carefully about how our society treats the weak (especially children). Child poverty and food insecurity existed long before Covid 19. These issues can be addressed by our society through both government programs and private charity. On the individual level, a donation to a food bank or soup kitchen is at least a first step. It is also essential to listen to the hopes and fears of those who need our help and treat them with respect. They must know we see them as human beings and not just a social problem. If we do this, children whose experience in life is difficult will be reassured they are valued and can look forward to a better future.

            Children do not exist to make us feel sentimental or to be exploited. They are made in the image and likeness of God and must be treated that way. Although the power imbalance between the weak and strong is not as extreme as it was in the story of the “slaughter of the innocents” it is an obstacle which Catholics must work to overcome.

December 28, 2020