Charles+,

As today is my birthday, I've always considered the Feast of the Holy
Innocents to be a name to be lived down!  It's why I remained an
Anglican...we are far from being Innocent and, of course, we modestly
removed "holy" from the Creed!

Mark+


----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Scott" <crscott@...>
To: <faithandlife@...>
Sent: Saturday, December 28, 2002 4:37 AM
Subject: [FaithandLife] HOLY INNOCENTS DEC 28


>
>
> Brothers:
>
> Can anyone read Matthew 2:13 and fail to reflect on the modern day
slaughter
> of the innocents occurring in Bethlehem?  It is particularly sad that all
> children in the area whether Christian, Muslim, or Jewish suffer the
> emotional blasting of war.
>
> Charles +
>
> ----------------------------------------------
> from ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE 23 DECEMBER 2002
>
> Amos Trust wrote :
> Christmas 2002
>
> The following is a composite of information and messages received from
> friends in Bethlehem, together with a suggested action for congregations
and
> individuals. We invite you to use the messages as a
> meditation and then to encourage people to act.
>
> Many people will be singing the carol 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' at
carol
> services across the world. Others will listen to services on the radio and
> will hear the familiar words referring to the 'O deep and
> dreamless sleep' of Bethlehem's inhabitants, watched over in wondering
love
> by the angels as the birth of the Christ child takes place.
>
> The reality of Bethlehem today is more like the period after Christ's
birth,
> when Herod ordered the massacre of the children. Bishara Awad, the
President
> of Bethlehem Bible College writes:
> 'As all of you turn your attention to Bethlehem these days, please
remember
> "Our Little Town" in your prayers. Bethlehem now is very sad. All it's
> people are struggling under very strict curfew since the 22nd of November.
> It may be hard to imagine being under curfew. It is very cruel, because no
> one is allowed to leave his or her home for any reason. All shops and
> schools are closed, as well as pharmacies and work
> places. There is no possibility for Christmas shopping, there are no
> decorations, and one cannot go to church. Being a closed military area, we
> are even denied the usual flood of Christian pilgrims. I pray that you
will
> sing this beautiful song and that its meaning will bless your Christmas,
but
> before you do please think of the suffering Church in Bethlehem and say a
> prayer that the curfew will be lifted and the
> siege on Bethlehem will end. You may want to also write to your nearest
> Israeli representative and your own government officials about these cruel
> acts done against the people of Bethlehem by the Israeli
> army.
> May Immanuel Bless You This Christmas.'
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
>
> As I pointed out yesterday, the Israeli government did allow Christians to
> celebrate Christmas at the Church of the nativity, but within a matter of
> hours re-imposed the curfew.
>
> Charles
>
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