1 John 1:5 - 2:2 / Matthew 2:13-18
The first day of Christmas, the Church celebrated the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the first Christian to witness to Christ with his life.
The second day of Christmas, the Church honoured St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, who emphasized the divinity of Christ.
These two men went into Biblical history and Church history as men who who faithful to God and walked in His ways.
Today, we come across a man who was a tragedy to himself and he caused tragic consequences.
Because of his pathological state of mind and his paranoia, he ordered the slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem, and it counted as nothing for him.
And this makes us reflect on the horrible deeds that are done to children and the unborn: child abuse, child labour, child pornography, abortion, infanticide.
All this also counted as nothing for those who committed such atrocities and heinous crimes against children.
The feast of the Holy Innocents does not just recall the innocent infants being martyred for Christ.
Because their blood now cries out for the children of the world who are suffering and being traumatized.
We will recall the 20 young children and 6 teachers who were innocently gunned down just two weeks ago in Sandy Hook elementary school, Newtown, USA.
The blood of innocent young children cries out for the children of the world and cries out to us.
We have to teach and guide, protect and guard our children. If we cannot get that right, we will not be able to get anything right.
May God bless the children who are entrusted to us and may we care for them and guide them in the ways of the Lord. May Mother Mary and St. Joseph help us in this mission.