At the King’s Command

At the king’s command
a massacre of infants
of innocents
The innocent paying the price
for the king’s fear, hatred
Fear of the babe born in the manger
the one visited by Magi
wise men from the East
Fear of the one foretold in the Prophets
the one who would come from Jesse’s root
would come to reclaim Israel
At the king’s command
the order was carried out;
but the one escaped
by the angel’s words
in the dream of his father

December 31, 2007
Matthew 2:13-23
based on sermon,
“Homecoming”, by
the Reverend Lori Eldredge,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, 12/30/07