Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. We commemorate the children slaughtered by Herod in his attempt to avenge the deception of the magi and in order to insure that his rule was not threatened by this “newborn king.” We re-member ourselves to this event so that it awakens us to the blasphemous number of children all over the world and right here in our own neighborhoods who are the victims of some form of emotional, sexual, physical, or spiritual violence and violation. Matthew records the ensuing scene with words that are as filled with pathos as any in scripture and are meant to wake us up to deep sympathy and action on behalf of children who are victimized by the malevolence of adults. :

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

This is a good reminder (as we more intentionally practice prayer during this month) that there is no such thing as private prayer. Deeply personal as we will see, yes, but never private, never divorced from or indifferent to what is happening in the world, especially to those whose lives are one long loud lamentation. In a day and age when the spiritual life is often reduced to nothing more than a self-indulgent spiritual spa, we need to remember the counsel of Mother Ann of the Shakers who used to say, “Hands to work and hearts to God.” Rabbi Heschel, expressed something similar after returning home from a civil rights march with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he told his daughter “When I marched in Selma I felt my legs were praying.” The mark of authentic prayer is compassion and the fruition of authentic compassion is compassionate action.♦

REFLECTION: The aim is not merely to say prayers but to make of one’s life a prayer. Instead of inflicting guilt on ourselves for what we don’t do or feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and paralyzed regarding global issues that concern us, begin closer to home by viewing your normal everyday life and interactions as the most obvious arena for you to practice prayer in the form of a deed. One common and holy deed.