Day 4

 4th Day of Christmas

        Happy Christmas

The Feast of the Holy Innocents

GOSPEL          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.
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.

Comment:

Herod was so  fearful of a baby who he thought would be a  rival for his position of power, that he was prepared to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. 

Yes he was wicked. I trust that I wouldn't be tempted to get rid of anyone in my way in such a manner. Yet, I ask myself, do I nevertheless, treat people badly when I don't get my own way, even in little things?  Do I treat everyone with respect and love, preferring their success over my own? Or is their a bit of the Herod in me? 

And do I sometimes, get the message to flea from danger, or from temptation? And do I, like Joseph, rise immediately and set off for safety? 

The little ones who died under Herod's orders are the first martyrs. They died for our Lord, even though they weren't aware of it. 

How many innocents are still being killed today? I think especially of the unborn, those who are deemed a bother or a burden to the lives of their mothers.