[Salvation]

December 21, 2003, Sunday, Fourth Week of Advent

Pilgrims’ Landing at Plymouth

It was on this date in 1620 that the Mayflower landed at Plymouth. Referred to as “pilgrims,” the passengers were actually Puritans or, more basically, Anglicans.

Puritanism was a reform movement withinthe Church of England that sought to purify the church from Roman Catholic practices and influences. It began in the latter 16th century, and by the end of the 17th century was no longer significant.

The Puritans frowned upon the celebration of Christmas because of all the externals – Christmas trees, crib scenes, decorations, and gift-giving. Thus, in some of the early colonies under the control of the Puritans, the celebration Christmas was outlawed.

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The efforts of the Puritans to enforce discipline upon the whole community resulted in the “blue laws,” many of which had to do with the observance of the Sabbath. They received this name because some of the laws were bound in blue paper.

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The Mayflower initially reached land at Provincetown on Saturday, November 11. Only a few men went ashore to gather woods and look around. On Sunday they all prayed and rested on the ship. On Monday…after 66 days at sea with 102 people on board the women went ashore to do laundry. That’s how Monday became known as “wash day.” Covenant and sprinkle it with the blood of sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people. This is no longer possible because the Temple was destroyed in 70 A. D.

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[Salvation]

The Holy Innocents

Herod’s murder of the youngsters in Bethlehem is one of the saddest parts of Matthew’s Infancy Narrative. Matthew spares us a description of the slaughter and simply uses a text from the prophet Jeremiah to recall the sobbing that surely took place:

“A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.”

Bethlehem was a small town and the estimated number of boy’s two years old and under would have been about 20. Herold’s massacre is not recorded in historical documents, but the relatively small number makes the story all the more plausible.

Mary and Joseph would have known the families of these children. One can only guess at their feelings when they later heard about this.

The feast of the Holy Innocents is celebrated on December 28. The words of the Prayer After Communion are well written:

Lord, by a wordless profession of faith in your Son,
the innocents were crowned with life at his birth.”

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

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