Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs

Today's Gospel reading is from Mt 2:13-18. This is Matthew's account of the Joseph's flight into Egypt and the slaughter of the innocent children of Bethlehem by Herod.

As I read today's Gospel, I couldn't help but be reminded of the Midnight Mass I attended. How joyous the Mass was. The Blessing of the Manger and the statue of the baby Jesus by the priest to commemorate the birth of Our Lord in Bethlehem.

I was also thinking about Christmas Morning and all the excited children opening up their gifts around the tree. My kids are grown adults but I still get the warm fuzzy feeling as we celebrate around the Christmas tree.

What a stark difference from just a few day's ago to the tragedy that befell the children of Bethlehem. We can be shocked about the innocent martyrs of that time. Yet we have a similar tragedy that happens everyday.

The innocent victims of Abortion. The equivalent of the number of victims of 9/11 are taken from us everyday. We shield ourselves by saying it's the law, but some how I can imagine King Herod proclaiming the same thing as he commanded the soldiers to their horrible task.

For those that have seen Mel Gibson's new movie, the word violence is an understatement. "How could a community live under such conditions of murder and sacrifice?", we may ask ourselves. Yet a closer look at our own life styles may be a sobering affair. Immigration, euthanasia, abortion, terrorism, the list goes on.

This new year we all make honorable resolutions; exercise more, eat better, go to confession more etc.. I make the same ones.

But I'm also making one that I think we should all at least think about. A resolution to do more to end this abortion madness. Maybe to pray at a local abortion clinic with some fellow parishioners or pro-life group. Maybe be more conscience of the government members we vote into office. And, yes definitely more prayer.

Today as we remember the innocent lives lost by that callous command of Herod, lets pray for the innocent lives lost today. By beginning there, solutions to the other social issues will reveal themselves.