“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
28th December 2017.
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THURSDAY, CHRISTMAS OCTAVE
Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs
Reading 1: 1 Jn 1:5 – 2:2 John tells us that we are all sinners and need Christ. His main concern is to keep us from further sin.
Res. Psalm: Ps 123:2-5,7-8 Our life, like a bird, has escaped from the snare of the fowler, for our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Gospel: Mt 2: 13-18 Matthew relates the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt and the massacre of the Holy Innocents—all male children under age two. These innocent children were slain for Christ. They follow the spotless Lamb, and proclaim forever: Glory to you, Lord.
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GOD CAN TURN ALL THINGS INTO GOOD!
Today, we are given witness of the ‘Martyrdom of the Holy Innocents’. Out of envy and hatred, Herod had countless innocent children killed in an attempt to eliminate Jesus, the newborn King. We can only imagine the grief that would have filled the town of Bethlehem and its vicinity as the soldiers went through killing those innocent children as their parents watched helplessly. On one hand, it’s shocking to know that God permitted this. On the other hand, on a level of deep faith, we must strive to understand the witness that these innocent children gave. In Heaven, and forevermore, these innocent victims will wear the martyr’s crown and will be honored by the angels and saints as the first witnesses to the newborn King. Though this may not have eased the pain at the time, it will certainly transform the pain those families felt as they enter into the justice of Heaven.
Their witness reveals to us that there are many times in life when things are simply not fair and not just. Whatever our “tragedy” may be, we must know that the Son of God entered our world, taking on our fallen human nature, so that He could make all things right. Let His Incarnation, death and resurrection transform your hurt into a crown of martyrdom. In the end, the Lord will be victorious in your life if you let Him.
The slaughter of these guiltless children, infants (which means "unable to speak") is only one of the discordant notes in the song of Christmas. The promises of their baby life were snuffed out by the mad rage of a demented king. The hopes of their parents were also extinguished. May this feast bring in us a great sense of respect for all forms of life and the grace to treat everyone with dignity and respect. May it bring us to defend life and dignity of human beings, by being voices to the voiceless, in a special way to the voiceless unborn being aborted, the voiceless baby girls who are victims of female feticide.
Prayer: Lord, These infants have been ransomed to you as the first-fruits of mankind; they follow your Son, the Lamb wherever he goes. May our lives too bear witness to the faith we profess with our lips. Amen.