Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 12-28-13, FEAST, The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

13. And after they were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him.
14. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt
15. And was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my Son.

RABANUS. Here Matthew omits the clay of purification when the first-born must be presented in the Temple with a lamb or a pair of turtle doves or pigeons. Their fear of Herod did not make them bold to transgress the Law, that they should not present the Child in the temple. As soon then as the rumor concerning the Child begins to be spread abroad, the Angel is sent to bid Joseph carry Him into Egypt.

REMIG. By this that the Angel appears always to Joseph in sleep, is mystically signified that they who rest from mundane cares and secular pursuits, deserve angelic visitations.

HILARY; The first time when he would teach Joseph that she was lawfully espoused, the Angel called the Virgin his espoused

wife; but after the birth she is only spoken of as the Mother of Jesus. As wedlock was rightfully imputed to her in her virginity, so virginity is esteemed venerable in her as the mother of Jesus.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He says not, 'the Mother and her young Child'; but, the young Child and His mother; for the Child was not born for the mother, but the mother prepared for the Child. How is this that the Son of God flies from the face of man? or who shall deliver from the enemy's hand, if He Himself fears His enemies? First, He ought to observe, even in this, the law of that human nature which He took on Him; and human nature and infancy must flee before threatening power. Next, that Christians when persecution makes it necessary should not be ashamed to fly. But why into Egypt? The Lord, who keeps not His anger forever, remembered time woes He had brought upon Egypt, and therefore sent His Son there, and gives it this sign of great reconciliation, that with this one remedy He might heal the ten plagues of Egypt, and the nation that had been the persecutor of this first-born people, might be the guardian of His first-born Son. As formerly they had cruelly tyrannized, now they might devoutly serve; nor go to the Red Sea to be drowned, but be called to the waters of baptism to receive life.

AUG. Hear the sacrament of a great mystery. Moses before had shut up the light of day from the traitors the Egyptians; Christ by going down thither brought back light to them that sat in darkness. He fled that He might enlighten them, not that he might escape his foes.

ID. The miserable tyrant supposed that by the Savior's coming he should be thrust from his royal throne. But it was not so; Christ came not to hurt others dignity, but to bestow His own on others.

HILARY; Egypt full of idols; for after this inquiry for Him among the Jews, Christ leaving Judea goes to be cherished among nations given to the vainest superstitions.

JEROME; When he takes the Child and His mother to go into Egypt, it is in the night and darkness, when to return into Judea, the Gospel speaks of no light, no darkness.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The straightness of every persecution may be called night - relief from it in like manner, day.

RABANUS; For when the true light withdraws, they who hate the light are in darkness; when it returns they are again enlightened.

CHRYS. See how immediately on His birth the tyrant is furious against Him, and the mother with her Child is driven into foreign lands. So should you in the beginning of your spiritual career seem to have tribulation, you need not to be discouraged, but bear all things manfully, having this example.

BEDE. The flight into Egypt signifies that the elect are often by the wickedness of the bad driven from their homes, or sentenced to banishment. Thus He, who, we shall see below, gave the command to His own, When they shall persecute you in one city, flee to another, first practiced what He enjoined, as a man flying before the face of man on earth. He whom but a little before a star had proclaimed to the Magi to be worshipped as from heaven.

REMIG. Isaiah had foretold this flight into Egypt Lo! the Lord shall ascend on a light cloud, and shall come into Egypt, and shall scatter the idols of Egypt (Is 19:1). It is the practice of this Evangelist to confirm all he says; and that because he is writing to the Jews, therefore he adds, that it might be fulfilled, &c.

JEROME. This is not in the LXX, but in Osee according to the genuine Hebrew text we read: Israel is my child, and I have loved him, and from Egypt have I called my Son; where the LXX render, Israel is my child, and I have loved him and called my sons out of Egypt. ID. The Evangelist cites this text, because it refers to Christ typically. For it is to be observed that in this Prophet and in others, the coming of Christ and the call of the Gentiles are foreshown in such a manner, that the thread of history is never broken.

CHRYS. It is a law of prophecy, that in a thousand places many things are said of some and fulfilled of others. As it is said of Simeon and Levi, I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Gen 49:7); which was fulfilled not in themselves, but in their descendants. So here Christ is by nature the Son of God, and so the prophecy is fulfilled in Him.

JEROME; Let those who deny the authenticity of the Hebrew copies, show us this passage in the LXX, and when they have failed to find it, we will show it them in the Hebrew. We may also explain it in another way, by considering it as quoted from Numbers, God brought him out of Egypt; his glory is as it were that of a unicorn (Num 23:22).

REMIG. In Joseph is figured the order of preachers, in Mary Holy Scripture; by the Child the knowledge of the Savior; by the cruelty of Herod the persecution which the Church suffered in Jerusalem; by Joseph's flight into Egypt the passing of the preachers to the unbelieving Gentiles (for Egypt signifies darkness); by the time that he abode in Egypt the space of time between the ascension of the Lord and the coming of Anti-Christ; by Herod's death the extinction of jealousy in the hearts of the Jews.

16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. When the infant Jesus had subdued the Magi, not by the might of His flesh, but the grace of His Spirit, Herod was exceeding wroth, that they whom he, sitting on his throne, had no power to move, were obedient to an Infant lying in a manger. Then by their contempt of him the Magi gave further cause of wrath. For when kings' wrath is stirred by fear for their crowns, it is a great and inextinguishable wrath. But what did he do? He sent and slew all the children. As a wounded beast rends whatever meets it as if the cause of its smart, so he mocked by the Magi spent his fury on children. He said to himself in his fury, 'Surely the Magi have found the child whom they said should be King'; for a king in fear for his crown fears all things, suspects all. Then he sent and slew all those infants, that he might secure one among so many.

AUG. And while he thus persecutes Christ, he furnished an army (of martyrs) clothed in white robes of the same age as the Lord.

ID. Behold how this unrighteous enemy never could have so much profited these infants by his love as he did by his hate; for as much as iniquity abounded against them, so much did the grace of blessing abound on them.

ID. O blessed infants! He only will doubt of your crown in this your passion for Christ, who doubts that the baptism of Christ has a benefit for infants. He who at His birth had Angels to proclaim Him, the heavens to testify, and Magi to worship Him, could surely have prevented that these should not have died for Him, had He not known that they died not in that death, but rather lived in higher bliss. Far be the thought that Christ who came to set men free did nothing to reward those who died in His behalf, when hanging on the cross He prayed for those who put Him to death.

RABANUS. He is not satisfied with the massacre at Bethlehem, but extends it to the adjacent villages, sparing no age from the child of one night old to that of two years.

AUG. The Magi had seen this unknown star in the heavens, not a few days, but two years before, as they had informed Herod when he enquired. This caused him to fix two years old and under, as it follows, according to the time he had inquired of the Magi.

ID. Or because he feared that the Child to whom even stars ministered, might transform His appearance to greater or under that of His own age, or might conceal all those of that age; hence it seems to be that he slew all from one day to two years old.

AUG. Or, disturbed by pressure of still more imminent dangers, Herod's thoughts are drawn to other thoughts than the slaughter of children, he might suppose that the Magi, unable to find Him whom they had supposed born, were ashamed to return to him. So the days of purification being accomplished, they might go up in safety to Jerusalem. And who does not see that that one day they may have escaped the attention of a King occupied with so many cares, and that afterwards when the things done in time Temple came to be spread abroad, then Herod discovered that he had been deceived by the Magi, and then sent and slew the children.

BEDE.In this death of the children the precious death of all Christ's martyrs is figured; that they were infants signifies that by the merit of humility alone can we come to the glory of martyrdom; that they were slain in Bethlehem and the coasts thereof, that the persecution shall be both in Jerusalem whence the Church originated, and throughout the world; in those of two years old are figured the perfect in doctrine and works, those under that age the neophytes; that they were slain while Christ escaped, signifies that the bodies of the martyrs may be destroyed by the wicked, but that Christ cannot be taken from them.

17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18. In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

CHRYS. The Evangelist by this history of so bloody a massacre, having filled the reader with horror, now again soothes his feelings, showing that these things were not done because God could not hinder, or knew not of them; but as the Prophet had foretold.

JEROME; This passage of Jeremiah has been quoted by Matthew neither according to the Hebrew nor the LXX version. This shows that the Evangelists and Apostles did not follow anyone's translation, but according to the Hebrew manner expressed in their own words what they had read in Hebrew.

ID. By Ramah we need not suppose that the town of that name near Gibeah is meant; but take it as signifying 'high.' A voice was heard 'aloft,' that is, spread far and wide.'

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Or, it was heard on high, because uttered for the death of the innocent, according to that, The voice of the poor enters into the heavens (Sirach 35:21). The 'weeping' means the cries of the children; 'lamentation,' refers to the mothers. In the infants themselves, their death ends their cries, in the mothers it is continually renewed by the remembrance of their loss.

JEROME; Rachel's son was Benjamin, in which tribe Bethlehem is not situated. How then does Rachel weep for the children of Judah as if they were her own? We answer briefly. She was buried near Bethlehem in Ephrata, and was regarded as the mother, because her body was there entertained. Or, as the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin were contiguous, and Herod's command extended to the coasts of Bethlehem as well as to the town itself; we may suppose that many were slain in Benjamin.

PSEUDO-AUG. Or, the sons of Benjamin, who were akin to Rachel, were formerly cut off by the other tribes, and so extinct both then and ever after. Then therefore Rachel began to mourn her sons, when she saw those of her sister cut off in such a cause, that they should be heirs of eternal life; for he who has experienced any misfortune, is made more sensible of his losses by the good fortune of a neighbor.

REMIG. The sacred Evangelist adds, to show the greatness of the mourning, that even the dead Rachel was roused to mourn her sons, and would not be comforted because they were not.

JEROME; This may be understood in two ways; either she thought them dead for all eternity, so that no consolation could comfort her; or, she desired not to receive any comfort for those who she knew had gone into life eternal.

HILARY; It could not be that they were not who seemed now dead, but by glorious martyrdom they were advanced to eternal life; and consolation is for those who have suffered loss, not for those who have reaped again. Rachel affords a type of the Church long barren now at length fruitful. She is heard weeping for her children, not because she mourned them dead, but because they were slaughtered by those whom she would have retained as her first-born sons.

RABANUS; Or, the Church weeps the removal of the saints from this earth, but wishes not to be comforted as though they should return again to the struggles of life, for they are not to be recalled into life.

GLOSS. She will not be comforted in this present life, for that they are not, but transfers all her hope and comfort to the life to come.

RABANUS; Rachel is well set for a type of the Church, as the word signifies 'a sheep' or 'seeing,' her whole thought being to fix her eye in contemplation of God; and she is the hundredth sheep that the shepherd lays on his shoulder.

Catena Aurea Matthew 2

Massacre of the Holy Innocents

Alexey Pismenny
2008

A Prayer To The Holy Innocents

Holy Innocents, you died before you were old enough to know what life means, pray for all children who die young that God may gather them into His loving arms.

Holy Innocents, you were killed because one man was filled with hatred, pray for those who hate that God may touch their hearts and fill them with love.

Holy Innocents, you experienced a violent death, pray for all who are affected by violence that they may find peace and love.

Holy Innocents, your parents grieved for you with deep and lasting sorrow, pray for all parents who have lost young children that God may wrap a warm blanket of comfort around them.

Holy Innocents, those around you certainly felt helpless to prevent your deaths, pray for all who feel helpless in their circumstances that they may cling to God for courage and hope.

Holy Innocents, you who are now in Heaven, pray for all of us that one day we may join you there to bask in God's love forever.

Amen.

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs
Feast Day
December 28th

Giotto di Bondone
No. 21 Scenes from the Life of Christ
Massacre of the Innocents
1304-06 -- Fresco
Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua

Collect:
O God, whom the Holy Innocents confessed
and proclaimed on this day,
not by speaking but by dying,
grant, we pray,
that the faith in you which we confess with our lips,
may also speak through our manner of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

Readings for Mass:
RSV-CE translation

First Reading: 1 John 1:5-2:2

Beloved; This is the message we have heard from Him [Jesus Christ], and proclaim to you, that God is light; and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we say that we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin in us, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8

R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,
when men rose up against us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us.

R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.

Then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone the raging waters.

R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.

The snare is broken, and we have escaped!
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.

Gospel Reading - Matthew 2:13-18

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you: for Herod is about to search for the Child, to destroy Him." And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

"A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation: Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled because they were no more."

From the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

The Feast of the Holy Innocent

113. Since the sixth century, on December 28, the Church has celebrated the memory of those children killed because of Herod's rage against Christ (cf. Mt 2:16-17). Liturgical tradition refers to them as the "Holy Innocents" and regards them as martyrs. Throughout the centuries Christian art, poetry and popular piety have enfolded the memory of the "tender flock of lambs"(125) with sentiments of tenderness and sympathy. These sentiments are also accompanied by a note of indignation against the violence with which they were taken from their mothers' arms and killed.

In our own times, children suffer innumerable forms of violence which threaten their lives, dignity and right to education. On this day, it is appropriate to recall the vast host of children not yet born who have been killed under the cover of laws permitting abortion, which is an abominable crime. Mindful of these specific problems, popular piety in many places has inspired acts of worship as well as displays of charity which provide assistance to pregnant mothers, encourage adoption and the promotion of the education of children.

As recorded in the gospel of Matthew (below), after the visit of the Magi, Herod, in rage and jealousy, slaughtered all the baby boys in Bethlehem and surrounding countryside in an attempt to destroy his perceived rival, the infant Messiah. These "innocents" are honored by the Church as martyrs.

In countries where our own innocents are daily being slaughtered by abortion, this feast day is a special time to remember the unborn, to pray for their cause, and perhaps to picket or pray at facilities where unborn babies are killed through abortion.

This would be a good day to begin a Novena for the Unborn.(Click here for Spanish Version)

The collect for the Holy Innocents may be said just before the blessing of the evening meal (see Christmas mealtime blessings), or at night prayers.

The ancient Coventry Carol is a mournful lullaby to the Holy Innocents. The words are printed below.

Family observances of this feast day have traditionally included serving baby food (oatmeal or pureed fruits), especially to the youngest member of the family. Another custom is eating a light-colored pudding with a red strawberry or raspberry sauce as a reminder of the blood of the tiny infant martyrs. While some adults may find this rather gory, many children appreciate this symbolism without the squeamishness their parents may feel.

Parents may also want to begin a nightly blessing of their children. Simply trace the sign of the cross on their foreheads while saying "May God bless you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit".

The Coventry Carol

This beautiful English lullaby carol originated in the Coventry Corpus Christi Mystery Plays performed in the 15th century. In a play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors, the women of Bethlehem sing this song just before Herod's soldiers come to slaughter their children. It tells the story of the murder of the Holy Innocents, and is sung on December 28, the feast of those tiny martyrs.
Lully, Lullay, thou little tiny child.
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
Lullay thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
O sisters, too, how may we do,
For to preserve this day;
This poor Youngling for whom we sing
Bye, bye lully, lullay
Herod the King, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day;
His men of might, in his own sight,
All young children to slay.
Then woe is me, poor child, for thee,
And ever mourn and say;
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
Bye, bye lully, lullay.

***

Theory and Consequences -The Case against Premature Induction Deliveries of Babies with Anencephaly and Other "Anomalies Incompatible with Life -- by Nancy Valko, RN (Vol. XIX, No. 2 Pentecost Season 2004)
For more pro-life articles
Go to Medical Morality or Go to Article Index
Novena for the Protection of the Unborn

The Blood of the Young Innocents
Catholic Word of the Day: CHILDERMAS DAY, 07-12-12
The Role of Fear in Abortion – A Meditation on the Feast of the Holy Innocents
Killing the Holy Innocents: Governments that Fund Abortion are the New Herods
Feast of the Holy Innocents (Childermas)
Coventry Carol (In Honor of the Holy Innocents, the First Martyrs for Christ)
The Holy Family vs. The Holy Innocents: A Christmas season reflection [Catholic Caucus]

Holy Innocents (also known as Childermas or Children’s Mass)
The Holy Innocents
King Herod Revisited
THE HOLY INNOCENTS Feast: December 28
Feast of the Holy Innocents - December 28 - 1928 BCP
We remember today the Holy Innocents, First Martyrs
Orthodox Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 29
December 28 - Feast of the Holy Innocents
Ending the Holocaust of the Innocents
Dec. 28 - Feast of The Holy Innocents

Information: Holy Innocents

Feast Day: December 28

Interactive Saints for Kids

Feast of the Holy Innocents

Feast Day: December 28
Born/Died: (when Jesus was born)

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Wise Men (or Magi) came from the east to worship him. Some say they were kings, others astrologers. They went to Herod, the king, looking for the newborn king of the Jews, the Savior.

Herod was a cruel and clever bully. When he heard that these Wise Men were looking for a newborn king, he began to worry about losing his throne.

But he did not let the Wise Men know what he was thinking. He called in his chief priests and asked them where the Bible says the Messiah was to be born. They answered: Bethlehem.

"Go and find out about this child," the wicked king said to the Wise Men. "When you have found out where he is, come and tell me. Then I, too, will go and worship him."

The Wise Men agreed and continued on their way, following the star. They found Jesus the Messiah, with Mary and Joseph. They adored him and offered their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

But in their sleep an angel warned them not to go back to Herod. Then an angel asked St. Joseph to take Mary and Baby Jesus into Egypt. In this way, God spoiled Herod's plans to harm little Baby Jesus.

When Herod realized that the Wise Men had not come back to him, he became very angry. He was an evil, horrible man, and now the fear of losing his throne made him worse.

He sent his soldiers to kill all the little baby boys of Bethlehem in the hope of killing Jesus too. The soldiers had to obey his order. There was great sorrow in the little town of Bethlehem, as mothers wept when their beloved babies were killed.

These little children are honored today by the Church as martyrs. They are called the Holy Innocents.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Saturday, December 28

Liturgical Color: Red

Today is the Feast of the Holy
Innocents. When the 3 Wise Men did
not return to Herod with information on
the location of Jesus, he had all the
male children under age 2, killed. Relics
of these children are preserved at St.
Paul Outside the Walls.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:December 28, 2013
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, whom the Holy Innocents confessed and proclaimed on this day, not by speaking but by dying, grant, we pray, that the faith in your which we confess with our lips may also speak through our manner of life. Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

o Almond and Honey Ring

o Blanc Mange

o Innocents' Pabulum

o Oven-Baked Rice Pudding

o Christ’s Diapers

ACTIVITIES

o Celebrating the Holy Innocents

o Christmas Play

o Day Four ~ Celebrating the Feast of the Holy Innocents

o Feast of the Holy Innocents -- The Youngest's Day

PRAYERS

o Blessing of Children

o Blessing of Children on Holy Innocents

o Christmas Morning Prayers

o Christmas Evening Prayers

o Holy Innocents or Childermas Day: Parental Blessing of Children

o Roman Ritual: Blessing of Children

o Parental Blessing

LIBRARY

o Bring Back the Creche! | John Phillips

o The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized | International Theological Commission

· Christmas: December 28th

· Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

Old Calendar: The Holy Innocents

During this octave of Christmas the Church celebrates the memory of the small children of the neighborhood of Bethlehem put to death by Herod. Sacrificed by a wicked monarch, these innocent lives bear witness to Christ who was persecuted from the time of His birth by a world which would not receive Him. It is Christ Himself who is at stake in this mass-murder of the children; already the choice, for or against Him, is put clearly before men. But the persecutors are powerless, for Christ came to perform a work of salvation that nothing can prevent; when He fell into the hands of His enemies at the time chosen by God it was to redeem the world by His own Blood.

Our Christmas joy is tempered today by a feeling of sadness. But the Church looks principally to the glory of the children, of these innocent victims, whom she shows us in heaven following the Lamb wherever He goes.

The Fourth Day of Christmas

The Holy Innocents
Today, dearest brethren, we celebrate the birthday of those children who were slaughtered, as the Gospel tells us, by that exceedingly cruel king, Herod. Let the earth, therefore, rejoice and the Church exult — she, the fruitful mother of so many heavenly champions and of such glorious virtues. Never, in fact, would that impious tyrant have been able to benefit these children by the sweetest kindness as much as he has done by his hatred. For as today's feast reveals, in the measure with which malice in all its fury was poured out upon the holy children, did heaven's blessing stream down upon them.

"Blessed are you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah! You suffered the inhumanity of King Herod in the murder of your babes and thereby have become worthy to offer to the Lord a pure host of infants. In full right do we celebrate the heavenly birthday of these children whom the world caused to be born unto an eternally blessed life rather than that from their mothers' womb, for they attained the grace of everlasting life before the enjoyment of the present. The precious death of any martyr deserves high praise because of his heroic confession; the death of these children is precious in the sight of God because of the beatitude they gained so quickly. For already at the beginning of their lives they pass on. The end of the present life is for them the beginning of glory. These then, whom Herod's cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers' bosom, are justly hailed as "infant martyr flowers"; they were the Church's first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief.

— St. Augustine

Things to Do:

Read this article by Mgr. Luciano Alimandi on the humility of children.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 John 1:5–2:2

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)

It was a dark day when Herod’s men swept though Bethlehem, slaughtering innocent children. How the devil must have exulted to see the light of so many lives snuffed out through one man’s fury! How he must have rejoiced when tragedy darkened so many lives! Even today, he cackles with unholy glee at every event or heartbreak that overshadows our lives. Darkness remains one of the tools Satan uses to try to separate us from the Lord (1 Peter 2:25).

And yet, St. John reminds us that “God is light” (1 John 1:5), that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). No matter what we’ve seen or done or experienced, this statement remains true: darkness cannot overcome the light. In the face of the nightmares of abortion, poverty, genocide, and homelessness, despite the shadows cast by unrestrained greed, lust, and warmongering, the word of God remains true. And so we can declare, “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy… when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8).

Each of us knows in some way the darkness of sin or tragedy. We have either known or have ourselves been victims of abuse, financial failure, slander. To all of us, Jesus calls, “Come out!” (Isaiah 49:9). “Don’t let the darkness overwhelm you. I’m still here, and I want to help you.”

Jesus doesn’t want any of us to remain in darkness. Rather, he calls us into his light. We have only to cry out for his consolation, wisdom, and healing, and he will answer. Where we have brought our tragedies on ourselves, we have only to confess our sins, and he will forgive us. No matter what we are facing, we can live in hope because Jesus, the light of the world, has come and has promised “to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79). There are no exceptions!

“Jesus, be my light! Shine your glory and your mercy into every corner and dark place in me. Be with me, Lord! Help me! Strengthen me! Forgive me! Then send me out to be a light in this world.”

1 John 1:5–2:2; Psalm 124:2-5, 7-8

A Christian Pilgrim

GOD HAD OTHER PLANS

(A biblical reflection on THE FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS, Martyrs – Saturday, 28 December 2013)

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:13-18

First Reading: 1John 1:5-2:2; Psalms: Psalm 124:2-5,7-8;

The Scripture Text

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the Child, to destroy Him.” And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called My son.”

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men, then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.” (Matthew 2:13-18 RSV)

For the sake of his crown, Herod was willing to kill anyone who might be a threat – even hundreds of innocent children. Shocking as Herod’s behavior was, it’s not so alien to us that we cannot understand it. While we do not go around killing children, we all have a tendency to preserve ourselves at others’ expense. To protect our reputations, we skirt problems that need to be addressed. We hurt others to get our way. We blame someone else for our sin and failure. Like Herod, we can be bent on preserving ourselves at all costs.

Have you noticed how difficult it can be to forgo self-centeredness and let the Lord rule over you? Have you ever noticed, also, how quickly the battle can be won when you confess your sin and emptiness and turn to the Lord for help? By His grace, all of us can become aware of our selfish urgings and o something about them. No pattern of sin is completely insurmountable. Jesus wants to help us in our weakness. Indeed, it is in our weakness that we are made strong through Jesus.

Herod thought he had won by killing the children. But God had other plans. God had destined from all eternity that His Son would die on a cross to atone for our sin. Imagine: God was so committed to us that He preserved His Son from death as a child so that He might endure a far more humiliating and painful death for our sake on the cross.

As we confess our need to the Lord, we can be confident that our sin will be peeled away, layer by layer, until the glory of Jesus shines through. Just as Jesus was protected from Herod, so will we be protected from the devil. We can know the freedom from sin that Jesus came to give us. Let us never give in to frustration or despair, not even when we see a deeper, darker layer of sin within us. As each layer is removed, we will discover increasing depths of love from our heavenly Father.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for the freedom You gave me. Thank You for suffering for my redemption. You have freed me from bondage to sin. Come, Lord Jesus, and remove everything in me that is opposed to You. I want to be filled with Your love. Amen.

Marriage=One Man and One Woman 'Til Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for December 28, 2013:

“On the 4th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me – 4 Calling Birds.” What do you call each other? Honey? Babe? Darlin’? What pet name would you like your beloved to call you? When do you call each other? On trips? From work? On a cell phone?

Regnum Christi

Angel Wings

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Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

Matthew 2:13-18

When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child, to destroy him." Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed for Egypt, and stayed there until the death of Herod, so that what he had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time that he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what had been said through the prophet Jeremiah: “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.”

Introductory Prayer:Father, I come into your holy presence this day aware that you guide my life with love. I believe that nothing happens to me unless you will it. I renew my faith in your promise of heaven, where every tear will be wiped away. Thank you for getting involved in our cruel world in order to heal it with your love.

Petition: Lord, may my presence today be a help to those in need.

1. Angels:We want to cry with these women who have had their children stolen from them in the most defenseless time of their lives. Human cruelty reaches so deep that it desires to maintain power by snuffing out the lives of others! Yet these children silently remind us of another reality. They remind us that there is a place where tyranny does not reign. There is a King who rules by love and whose kingdom cannot be defeated by cruelty. These children are messengers of that kingdom. They have been called to give a brief but powerful witness of the fight that this King will wage for love. They have gone ahead of him, and their mothers will find them and hold them forever one day in the presence of their King.

2. Prophets: Thy Kingdom Come! This is the cry of these children. One day this new King will reign, but it will happen through a terrible fight with death and cruelty. These children are powerful prophets of the struggle of this King. They are prophets of the drama of human history where everything is at stake. Their cries are powerful prayers that will be heard by the Father, and their cries begin to stir in that special Child the desire to give his life as a ransom for souls. He will reign by pouring out his life as a gift for these children and for many souls.

3. Children: The Church has declared these children martyrs. The first saints of Christ are infants. Infants speak to us at Christmas, and their witness does not go unnoticed. These children inspire the Church and pray for her. A child speaks to us of goodness and innocence. A child reminds us of the attitude we should have before God. Christ always lives with a heart of a child, a heart that trusts completely in his Father. He shows special predilection for children. He knows that often they are his most powerful apostles, inviting others to God’s house by the simplicity and intimacy of their love for him. How many parents have been converted or discovered a deeper relationship with Christ through the example of their children!

Conversation with Christ: Jesus, it saddens me so much to see how these children were taken from their mothers and killed. It tears my heart apart to see how today so many children are never given the chance to know their mother’s love because of the evil of abortion. I want to be a consolation to your heart, Lord. I want to give the very best of myself to you today in order to offer you some of the love that these children wanted to give. Let my life be a witness of unselfish love. Let me be like you.

Resolution:I will find some way of encouraging a mother of a young child.

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One Bread, One Body

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<< Saturday, December 28, 2013 >>

Holy Innocents

1 John 1:5—2:2
View Readings

Psalm 124:2-5, 7-8

Matthew 2:13-18
Similar Reflections

EXHAUSTIVE COMMITMENT

"He is an Offering for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world." —1 John 2:2

Today is the feast day of the Holy Innocents, the infants King Herod ordered slaughtered within two years following the appearance of the star to the Wise Men (Mt 2:16). The Church holds in the highest regard these innocent children, these martyrs. "They died not only for Christ, but in his stead" (St. Augustine, "Sermon 10 on holiness").

Are there innocent babies being aborted today, dying because of what we had done or maybe because of what we have not done? (see 1 Jn 1:8, 10; Mt 2:18)

Once I saw a photo of a statue of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, and a donkey lying in a big heap, depicting their complete exhaustion in the effort to protect Jesus from being slain (cf Mt 2:13). The statue, which can be seen at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, is entitled, "The Holy Family Resting — The Flight into Egypt." According to the description, "this sculpture represents Jesus, Mary and Joseph struggling, against great obstacles, to foster family life and preserve their faith in a loving and merciful God."

Every one of us can certainly identify with the exhaustion of the Holy Family. Let us commit ourselves, with an eternal focus, to work to exhaustion to protect and proclaim the Gospel of Life.

Prayer: Father, give me the grace to work until exhaustion for You.

Promise: "If we say, 'We have never sinned,' we make Him a liar and His word finds no place in us." —1 Jn 1:10

Praise: The Holy Innocents were the first of countless witnesses to the only Holy One. They are a sign of hope for all those little ones who have died in the state of innocence.

Video about Trig Palin