Feast of Holy Innocents-December 28th

This Feast of the Holy Innocents brings to mind the sadness that continues to this day by the willful murder of innocent children -- be it in the classroom as at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, by failure to provide adequate food and nurturing surroundings as in some third world countries wracked by civil war, or as in our own cities and towns, by abortion.

Today we specifically recall the extent to which Herod, an egomaniacal madman, went in order that he might find and slaughter the newborn Jesus. What kind of a threat could Jesus or any child be that could spawn such horror? What indeed?

There are some theories, but the end result is that the light of God's goodness is spurned by the death-dealing darkness of sin.

You can say guns are the reason, or that children in third world countries don't matter, or it's a woman's body and after all "it" really isn't yet a person, but what it all boils down to is sin.

Do then grieve, for sin has killed the innocent, but also rejoice in this Holy Season of Christmas and indeed every day and season for: "We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not only for our sins but for those of the whole world."
(see 1 John 2:1-2)

By Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS |