The Holy Innocents

Again during this Christmas Octave, we read of another tragedy: the murder of all Bethlehem's boys, two and under, by King Herod's men, in an attempt to wipe out a rival king. The wailing of their mothers was foretold by the prophet Jeremiah centuries before: "In Ramah is heard the sound of moaning/ of bitter weeping!/ Rachel mouns her children,/ she refuses to be consoled/ because her children are no more." (Jer 31: 15). Herod's attempt at eliminating his rival did not succeed, in the same way that attempts to eliminate rivals by mass murder have never succeeded throughout history.
In our own day, the "slaughter" of innoncent children continues through abuse of all kinds, physical, sexual, psychological, as we read or hear daily, it seems, in the media. Children who have no means to defend themselves are victimized by adults who should know better, or by their peers whose sense of respect for others has been lost along the way or never learned. Pope Paul VI in his controversial encyclical, Humanae Vitae, predicted that artificial contraception would lead to a contraceptive mentalility and ultimately to an across-the-boards disrespect for life. The ensuing years have verified his insight. It is not just concern for the unborn that needs attention, but for life in all phases, in all aspects. May the prayers of the Holy Innocents, recognized as the first martyrs for Christ help us all come to a new and needed sensitivity and respect for life and lead us to concrete ways in which to show this by our words and deeds.
Bro. Rene