INNOCENT MARTYRS | About the Feast (December 28)

On December 28, we celebrate the Feast of Holy Innocents. We experience the joyous celebration of Christ's birth and adore His image as a baby lying peacefully in a manger. After this, we immediately face the terrible and evil action of King Herod—the killing of babies two years old and under, the Holy Innocents. We don't know how many children were killed during that time, but the fact remains, they were killed for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was born during the rule of King Herod. When Herod found out that the Messiah had been born in Bethlehem, he ordered the killing of boys under the age of two. He did this because he thought that the Child Jesus was a threat to his reign. He was protective of his worldly power and he thought that the Messiah would be king in the worldly sense like him. We know that this is not true. He then planned to kill the babies in Bethlehem, hoping that Baby Jesus will be one of them. He failed because unbeknownst to him, Mary and Joseph went to Egypt with the Holy Infant to escape.

 

The Holy Innocents gave their lives for Jesus. Their mothers saw their innocent lives cut short, and they didn't know why. There seems to be no explanation for these events. It exposes the futility and unjust suffering of children who are ignorant and innocent.

 

The significance of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem lies not only in their innocence but also in their victimhood. An unspeakable injustice was done to them. In modern times, the Holy Innocents are considered the prototypes of millions of unborn children. They are the most innocent among us, killed by the same evil and brutal act of abortion around the world. There were so many lives lost, deaths, and innocent victims.

 

The grief that filled Jerusalem must have been unbearable, with parents who could only weep and who could do nothing but watch their innocent children being killed. "A voice was heard in Ramah, great weeping and wailing: Rachel was weeping because of her children, and she did not want to be comforted because they were gone." (Matthew 2:17–18).

 

In the case of abortion, who is crying for these innocent lives? We can pray to the Holy Innocents to intercede for unborn babies despite the threats. We can share our own loss and pain and cry for the voiceless, innocent babies taken before they were born.

 

Senseless violence is so sad that nowadays it is more common. However, dwelling on sad realities can rob us of our joy this Christmas. This world remains a valley of tears until the return of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory. Despite this, His victory over the devil, sin, and death gives us hope. May the Holy Mother of God help us find our happiness in her Son. Let us fight for good against those who try to destroy all that is good.

 

If there is only one greatest treasure that God has placed on earth, that is a human person, destined for eternity as it was offered salvation by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Jasper Peter Rome

Also seen on OLA Marikina page and website

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References: 

De Oliveira, P. C. (2022, December 22). Why the Holy Innocents Are Martyrs Due to God’s Goodness. The American TFP. https://www.tfp.org/why-the-holy-innocents-are-martyrs-due-to-gods-goodness/

Stravinskas, P. M. (2021, December 28). The Holy Innocents and the Church’s pro-life witness. https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2021/12/28/119839/

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (1998, July 20). Feast of the Holy Innocents | Description, observances, & History. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Feast-of-the-Holy-Innocents