Peshawar and our crib

In the Catholic liturgical calendar the massacre of the innocents occurs a few days after Christmas, echoing the original massacre which was probably a few months after Christ's birth. In today's wounded world, however, a truly terrible massacre of innocents took place yesterday in a school in Peshawar. Like so many others on every continent I read and viewed the news with horror and anguish, wondering - not for the first time - what kind of warped idea of God and God's pleasure can possibly lead to such a wanton murderous rampage.

And then this afternoon, in the same world which felt like such a different world, I assembled the crib in our entrance hall. I held the model of Mary, tenderly and calmly cradling her baby, and prayed for the mothers in Peshawar sobbing over their bloodied sons. I placed Joseph in his protective stance and prayed for those fathers who had been unable to protect their families from harm. In a few reflective moments I created a scene of tranquil innocence, filled with light; a scene achingly removed from the horrors in Peshawar, and yet... it is a scene of the timeless event which lies at the very heart of our world, with all its pain and violence.

Today we began the O Antiphons: the first one, O Sapientia, a plea for wisdom, seems especially necessary to pray for our world tonight...

O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High. You fill the universe and hold all things together in a strong yet gentle manner. O come to teach us the way of truth...