Friends,
on this feast of the Holy Innocents, a baby is at the center of
attention as the Gospel story commences. Cherished by his mother,
protected by his foster-father, bestowed with gifts by the Magi, the
baby Jesus is at the same time threatened by Herod and indeed by all of
Jerusalem which, we are told in an earlier verse, trembled at his
coming.
Herod’s
massacre of the innocents mimics, of course, Pharoah’s murder of the
male children of the Hebrews at the time of Moses’ birth. Once more we
are made to see that, in the fallen world, the least powerful can be
ruthlessly eliminated in order to satisfy the needs and assuage the
fears of the most powerful.
Of
course, the same Herod who casually ordered the murder of the children
of Bethlehem had previously commanded the execution of two of his own
sons. This awful story functions as a vivid picture of what compromised
family life looks like.
The
abuse of young people can and should be analyzed psychologically and
sociologically, but biblical people know that, in the final analysis, it
is a manifestation of the dysfunction born of sin.
Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Lectionary: 698
Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, "We have fellowship with him,"
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, "We are without sin,"
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
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.
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