I bet they will cry a lot. Few of us can imagine what Christmas will be like for the families of the three high school students killed in Paducah, Ky., on Monday morning December 1. They were shot and killed following a prayer meeting at school. The magnitude of these atrocities is not lost on children. There are a million questions.
Truth is, some acts of violence are irreversible.
If the families of the victims and the accused hear the Christmas story this year, I suspect there is part of the Gospel reading, particularly one verse, that will give them pause. It is a verse that can be overlooked by people in happier circumstances. The story leading up to the verse starts in Matthew chapter two. King Herod, ruling in the region at that time, was greatly disturbed by these Magi. History tells us that though Herod is remembered as the rebuilder of the temple in Jerusalem, he also was a ruthless leader.