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Herod, Maduro & Trump: On The Star That Breaks The Lunacy

Herod, Maduro & Trump: On The Star That Breaks The Lunacy

Last updated on: January 3, 2026 at 7:51 pm by Jeff Hood

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Herod, Maduro & Trump: On The Star That Breaks The Lunacy 2026-01-03T19:51:29-06:00 Jeff Hood

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Trump, Maduro and Herod

The Wise Men / Canva AI

The Star That Breaks the Lunacy of Herod, Maduro & Trump

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem during King Herod’s reign, some wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star rise in the sky and have come to honor him.”

Herod, the king, was deeply troubled when he heard this, and so was everyone in Jerusalem. He called together the leading priests and scholars and asked where the Messiah was supposed to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem, as the prophet wrote: a ruler will come from this town to lead and care for God’s people.”

Herod secretly called the wise men and asked them exactly when they first saw the star. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, let me know so that I can go and honor him too.”

The wise men set out, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed. When they entered the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary. They bowed down and honored him, giving gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Afterward, they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they went back to their country by another route.

–Matthew 2:1-12

Tyranny Then and Now: On Herod, Maduro & Trump

History repeats itself. Herod’s violent paranoia echoes today. For years, Venezuela suffered under Nicolás Maduro…a leader whose authority rested on repression, corruption, and the crushing of the people’s dignity. On January 3, 2026, that era ended when Maduro was captured and removed from power.

But the fall of one tyrant does not end the cycle. Lunacy lives in every heart that seeks dominion over others.

Closer to home, Donald Trump repeatedly sowed chaos and doubt about truth and democracy. His refusal to accept election results, his encouragement of violence against institutions…these are the actions of a man willing to tear down protections for his own power.

Herod. Maduro. Trump. Different names, different times…but the same pattern: self above people. Ambition above justice. Dominion above compassion.

The Futility of Switching Tyrants: Trump, Maduro & Herod or Maduro, Herod & Trump or Herod, Trump & Maduro

One crown falls. Another rises. One regime ends…as Maduro’s did…and yet the machinery of suffering keeps turning. Changing tyrants is not revolution. It is rotation.

The Star That Guides

And yet, in the midst of madness, the Magi saw a star. A light cutting through the fear of kings and the noise of ambition. A light that led them not to the throne, but to a child.

A child with no army. No political stature. No worldly power. A child whose kingdom is built on sacrifice, not domination.

The Magi bypassed Herod’s court, ignored his threats, and followed the star. They offered homage to holiness, not power. They escaped the trap of tyranny.

Christ: The Light That Breaks the Cycle

Christ is the star. The light that cuts through the lunacy of human rulers. Not the next election. Not the next revolution. Not the rise and fall of tyrants. Those things merely shift the pieces on the board. Only Christ breaks the cycle.

His kingdom cannot be seized by tyrants. His authority cannot be corrupted by politicians. His light cannot be extinguished. He strengthens the weak, gives hope to the hopeless, and offers peace that outlasts kingdoms and empires.

True Salvation Beyond Herod, Maduro or Trump / Regime Change

When Maduro was overthrown, many breathed a sigh of relief…as did many over Trump’s political actions. But relief is not salvation unless it points to a deeper truth: no human power can save a soul or a nation. Only Christ can. Only Christ can turn rebellion into repentance, tyranny into justice, fear into love.

The Magi offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Today, our gift is surrender…our refusal to be dazzled by crowns or thrones, our commitment to the light that guides us to life.

Do not be stunned by regime change. Do not cheer simply because one tyrant fell and another posture stands. Real transformation…eternal transformation…happens only when we follow the star, not the throne.

Follow the Star

The world will quake with tyrants. Governments will rise and fall. Leaders will rage, threaten, and destroy.

But the Christ child remains. He is the light in every darkness. He is the hand that lifts the oppressed. He is the path beyond cycles of lunacy.

Follow Him. Escape the madness. Find life. Find hope. Find peace beyond the rise and fall of tyrants.

Catholic

Politics and Religion

About The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood

The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood is a Catholic priest (Old Catholic), theologian, and nationally recognized activist based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. A spiritual advisor to death row inmates across the country, Dr. Hood has accompanied more people to their executions than any other advisor in the U.S., including the first-ever nitrogen hypoxia execution in 2024. His work sits at the intersection of justice, radical compassion, and public theology. Dr. Hood holds advanced degrees from Auburn, Emory, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, University of Alabama, Creighton, and Brite Divinity School, among others. He also earned a PhD in metaphysical theology and founded The New Theology School, where he serves as Dean and Professor of Prophetic Theology. Author of over 100 books—including the award-winning The Courage to Be Queer—Dr. Hood’s writings and activism have been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, NPR, CNN, and more. A frequent collaborator with men on death row, he sees theology as a shared, liberative act. Dr. Hood has served on the leadership teams of organizations like the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. His activism has earned multiple awards, including recognition from PFLAG and the Next Generation Action Network. On July 7, 2016, Dr. Hood led the Dallas protest against police brutality that ended in tragedy. His actions that night saved lives, and his story is now archived in the Dallas Public Library. A father of five, husband to Emily, and friend to the incarcerated, Dr. Hood rejects institutionalism in favor of a theology rooted in people, presence, and prophetic witness. You can read more about the author here.

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