1 John 1:5-2:2 / Matthew 2:213-18
There are many famous men in the Bible whose words and deeds have proclaimed the wonderful marvels and the mighty love of God.
On Monday we celebrated the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr, who witnessed to Christ even to the point of death and he even forgave those who were stoning him.
Yesterday we celebrated the feast of St. John, the apostle and evangelist, who proclaimed the mystery of the divinity of God made flesh in the humanity of Jesus.
Yet, in the same Bible are also many infamous and wicked men, and today we hear of one such man who was a tragedy to himself and he also caused tragic consequences.
Because of his pathological state of mind and his paranoia, he ordered the slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem in order to exterminate the new-born King of the Jews.
That vicious and evil deed was no big deal to him; in fact it counts as nothing for him.
This makes us reflect on the horrible and wicked deeds that are done to children and the unborn : abortion, child abuse, child molestation, child labour, child pornography, etc.
For some people, these evil acts against innocent children also count as nothing for them.
The feast of the Holy Innocents does not just recall the innocent infants being slaughtered and martyred for Christ.
The Church acknowledges them as martyrs because they witnessed to Christ even though they were innocent and helpless.
But their blood cries out now for the children of the world who are suffering and also for the unborn.
Then Holy Innocents of Bethlehem witnessed to Christ. Let us now witness to Christ by protecting our children and the children of the world from harm and evil.
Let us also teach our children to love God and to praise God and to give thanks to God
"How great is Your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth. Your majesty is praised above the heavens; on the lips of children and of babes You have found praise to foil Your enemy, to silence the foe and the rebel" (Ps 8:2-3)