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21 The "massacre of the innocents"—this is the label given to the terrible execution of baby boys in Bethlehem shortly after Jesus' birth (Matthew 2:14–18). Jewish mothers lost their young sons to a wicked tyrant's cruelty. The tragedy is presented in all its horror by several artists, including Peter Paul Rubens in 1612, and Pieter Bruegal and his son a century earlier. War plagued the artists' societies, and the painters represent the horrific biblical scene of death and mourning as they lament their own peoples' tragedies. The apostle Matthew includes the incident in the middle of a joyous story about Jesus' birth. He recalls the prophet Jeremiah's words offered as the people were exiled to Babylon, that Rachel, the mother of Benjamin and Joseph, is weeping for her children (Jeremiah 31:15; see also Genesis 35:16–20). Jeremiah acknowledges her sad note in an otherwise hopeful chapter ; he turns Israel's gaze from the immediate threat of exile to God's future redemption. Matthew sees the connection in his own time, as Jesus and His parents are driven from their home by King Herod. Mary, Jesus' mother, escapes the grief of death for the moment, but she would find her own heart pierced three decades later as her son hangs on a cross. The Christmas story gives space for those who are now mourning. Perhaps you weep the literal death of a child or grandchild, or the figurative death of a prodigal son still far from home. Perhaps there is mourning for the death of a marriage, or a career. Rachel's tears are still shed by believers today, as the present evil age buffets and bashes against good- ness and mercy. But even as the resurrected Jesus met the women at the tomb (Mat- thew 28:9), so today He meets each believer with the Lord's promise of the prophet Jeremiah, "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears…they will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope" (Jeremiah 31:17). Lynn Cohick, PhD provost / deAn spAce For those noW Mourning December 16 "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears… they will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope." – Jeremiah 31:17