Feast of the Holy Innocents (Reflection on Mass Readings)
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.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord 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 he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
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.
- Matthew 2:13-18
The The Holy Innocents killed by Herod were few, in comparison to the millions who have been murdered and are continuing to be murdered by the genocide and abortion of our day. Herod killed the children because he wanted the eliminate a threat to his power. Perhaps if Herod saw the face of Christ, the innocent child, he would have changed his mind. Perhaps if we actually saw the faces of the innocent children who we murder in abortion clinics across the world we would cease this demonic practice. Perhaps if we took the time to get to know the human person and see the face of Christ on them we would cease to murder them through war, euthanasia, capital punishment, street violence, and every other venue to destroy life.
Each of us are children of God destined for eternity and graced by Christ Jesus’ death and resurrection. Therefore, let us give life at every stage of development a chance to live. I found this narrative below online today and thought it would be appropriate to today’s reading:
Diary of an Unborn Child
OCTOBER 5:
Today my life began. My parents do not know it yet, but it is I already. And I am to be a girl. I shall have blond hair and blue eyes. Just about everything is settled though, even the fact that I shall love flowers.
OCTOBER 19:
Some say that I am not a real person yet, that only my mother exists. But I am a real person, just as a small crumb of bread is yet truly bread. My mother is. And I am.
OCTOBER 23:
My mouth is just beginning to open now. Just think, in a year or so I shall be laughing and later talking. I know what my first word will be: MAMA.
OCTOBER 25:
My heart began to beat today all by itself. From now on it shall gently beat for the rest of my life without ever stopping to rest! And after many years it will tire. It will stop, and then I shall die.
NOVEMBER 2:
I am growing a bit every day. My arms and legs are beginning to take shape. But I have to wait a long time yet before those little legs will raise me to my mother’s arms, before these little arms will be able to gather flowers and embrace my father.
NOVEMBER 12:
Tiny fingers are beginning to form on my hands. Funny how small they are! I’ll be able to stroke my mother’s hair with them.
NOVEMBER 20:
It wasn’t until today that the doctor told mom that I am living here under her heart. Oh, how happy she must be! Are you happy, mom?
NOVEMBER 25:
My mom and dad are probably thinking about a name for me. But they don’t even know that I am a little girl. I want to be called Doria. I am getting so big already.
DECEMBER 10:
My hair is growing. It is smooth and bright and shiny. I wonder what kind of hair mom has?
DECEMBER 13:
I am just about able to see. It is dark around me. When mom brings me into the world it will be full of sunshine and flowers. But what I want more than anything is to see my mom. How do you look, mom?
DECEMBER 24:
I wonder if mom hears the whispering of my heart? Some children come into the world a little sick. But my heart is strong and healthy. It beats so evenly: tup-tup, tup-tup. You’ll have a healthy little daughter, mom!
DECEMBER 28:
Today my mother killed me.
—Anonymous
Jesus, help me help my neighbor. Amen.
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Scripture texts in this blog are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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