Octave of Christmas, Thursday, 12-28-23, Year B
Readings: 1st Reading Jn 1:5-2:2; Ps 124:2-3,4-5,7cd-8; Gospel; Mt 2:13-16
Feast: Holy Innocents
Theme: For the Love of God
Could Herod have been forgiven for his sins, especially his decree to kill all the infant boys in Bethlehem to protect his kingship at the time of Christ’s birth? The answer is yes. The real question is, did he ever repent of those sins before his death? That answer we will never know. With God, anything is possible. Was Harod’s killing of the Innocents God’s plan in order to fulfill the prophecies spoken of so long ago, or was it just Harod being Harod and acting out his insecure free will?
Whether the death of all those innocent children at the time of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem was part of God’s plan, or an act of free will by Harod allowed by God, is immaterial, the loss of those children was not in vain because those children are now saints in heaven for the cause of Christ.
It is very difficult, even impossible, for many people to believe that a loving God would allow such cruelty and barbarianism to exist, especially when it happens to children. Yet, these children gave their lives in witness to Christ for the salvation of all humanity. Their gift, instant sainthood, and an eternal life in Heaven.
“The Holy Innocents died in Christ’s stead so that He could die in ours.” 1
Nothing is lost on God. Even evil things can be used for good in His plan. These children were some of the first martyrs of the church, witnessing with their blood the salvation that entered the world in their time.”
“Although they were too young to proclaim Christ with their voices, they proclaimed Him with their lives. When they sacrificed their lives for a Name they did not know, they shed their blood just as He would later in His life. The Holy Innocents died because of Him and for Him. They gave their precious lives so that God’s plan could be fulfilled in Him. Just as Christ makes saints of babies in water baptism every day, he gave the Holy Innocents the grace of becoming saints and martyrs. While our Christmas joy is tainted with sadness on this particular day, we celebrate these children’s glorious place in heaven and their incredible gift to us all.”1
Just as these innocent children, who died for the gift of salvation for the rest of us, so too are all those who were innocent and died for the love of God, from the innocent people during the time of Moses and Joshua’s promised land inheritance, to those killed in wars and evilness in our time.
We can only hope that someday, either through natural death with a clean soul, or for the love of God and neighbor in the face of evil conquest and death, we would receive the same gift the Holy Innocents received, to reign in heaven in the company of the saints and angels praising God forever.
- The Catholic Company – Get Fed – Why do we call the Holy Innocents martyrs?
Deacon Steven Johnson – St. James, Belvidere, IL ↩︎
Saint James Catholic Church 