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Voices of Peace
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| The Holy Family Fleeing, on an Autun capital, courtesy of Amberton.edu |
In many Christian denominations December 28 is remembered as Holy Innocents Day. It memorializes the children in Bethlehem, all under the age of two, slaughtered on orders of Herod because he had heard that a great king had been born there. I am sure Herod considered them "collateral damage!"
The prayer for Holy Innocent's Day in the Book of Common Prayer reads in part as follows: "Receive, we beseech thee, into the arms of mercy, all innocent victims, and establish thy rule of Justice, Love and Peace".
"All innocent victims" refers to the innocent victims of all wars, the innocent victims on both sides of the conflict in Iraq, the victims of the the human-made disasters of DarFur, September 11, 2001, the Oklahoma City Federal building, Bosnia, Cambodia, the "disappeared" of South and Central America, the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the London Blitz, the Holocaust and millions of others on every continent, far outnumbering the perpetrators of war and terror. They represent all races, nationalities, sexes, ages, religions, and no religions.
These victims do not deserve to be called "collateral damage." They are truly Holy Innocents, and deserve to be recognized as such, worldwide, apart from military heroism. I therefore propose that December 28, be made a worldwide holiday, memorializing the millions of Holy Innocents who have been victimized by centuries of human violence throughout the world. Such a holiday would have worldwide significance. To avoid any possible (particular) religious connotation, it should simply be called "Innocents Day."
I know this won't end the violence. But it may make us realize that these innocent victims deserve a lot more than to be called "collateral damage," and maybe, just maybe, make us and our leaders think twice before undertaking violent actions.
Jim Parker
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