Herod

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 19 December 2006 17:13:49

Every good story needs a villain. So amongst all those angels, new-born babes, shepherds, cute animals, happy families and wise men there needs to be a bit of e-vil to break up the cosiness. Someone who can put a bit of a sting into Christmas.

Herod is an architypal villain. He is ruthless, determined and power hungry; crafty, duplicitious and scheming. He's actually a damn sight nastier than Judas, the #1 bull-goose bad-guy in most religious badlists.

His story needs no repeating, as I'm sure we're all plenty familiar with it. One man's jealous lust for power leads to the slaughter of innocent children. But what stands out to me, more than his cunning and contempt for life, is how he doesn't win. His acts lead to tremendous suffering, but he is unable to stop what God has planned, despite the apparently watertight ruthlessness of his scheme.

I find that heartening, especially with recent events that many of us are grieving. Evil people do evil things, and innocents suffer for it. One of the messages of Christmas though is that what God plans will come to fruition, thwarting evil, and establishing his kingdom. It doesn't stop the grieving meantime, but it does perhaps place it in a context.

A light has shone, and the darkness will never put it out.