Dec 28 2005 The Holy Innocents

Mt 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 nightand 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.

There is a Byzantine icon that comes to mind of Rachel crying for the murdered children who around her at her feet. It is unusual in that many icons are more a form of writing than an emotional expression, yet this older icon carries all of the anguish of a mother crying for not one but many children. It is a mystery to me how we can have such suffering in the world.

I believe that God does not want this evil and suffering but that it is made by persons who are unable to use their free will in the way that it was intended to be used. My heart goes out to the many who suffer injustices such as the Holy Innocents in our world today. The victims of Darfur and everywhere where there is a loss of love and true cruelty to innocent people.

I pray today for the child victims especially and the mothers who mourn them. Children are a great gift of hope, love and innocence. They are a treasure and I believe many times much more in touch with the love of God than adults.