On Christmas day we celebrated the coming of Christ who shines as a Light in our world. Saint John tells us in his Gospel that Jesus Christ is the true Light who enlightens everyone who comes in to the world. (1:9) This celebration of light continues until the Great Feast of the Theophany on 6 January, when we commemorate Christ’s baptism in the Jordan, which is also known as a feast of light.
However, today’s Gospel reminds us of less pleasant events around Christ’s birth. Indeed, having celebrated the joyful tidings of His birth, and the peace which He brings to all people, the Church’s Liturgy has reminded us in the last few days of the reality of suffering in our world. On Friday, we commemorated Saint Stephen, the first martyr whose death is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (6-7). Yesterday, we commemorated the twenty thousand martyrs of Nicomedia who refused to worship idols. And today, we commemorate the holy children who were slaughtered by King Herod in his attempt to put to death the newborn Christ.
As we are celebrating the joy of Christmas, we are given this rather sober reminder that Jesus Christ was rejected on earth from His very first days. His birth brought joy to many, but the true Light which had shone into the world also brought opposition, for there are those who prefer darkness to the Light. There is nothing sentimental about the message of Christmas, for Christ’s birth set in motion a series of events that will ultimately lead to His great victory over the forces of darkness in His death and resurrection. The Light continues to shine in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it.