The Holy Innocents, Martyrs – Feast
Gospel – Matthew 2:13-18
“A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loudly lamenting: it was Rachel weeping for her children,”. Rachel keeps weeping still for the innocent children killed in abortions, in conflicts around the world, in abuses in families and in the society, and every time, an innocent is accused. Herod did that because he wanted to kill Jesus. Now we do that because we don’t want to recognize the presence of God among us. Herod sought to eliminate Jesus because His presence threatened his worldly power. Similarly, when we turn away from the vulnerable, the voiceless, and the marginalized, we deny the presence of God among us. Often, it’s our silence that takes the form of Herod’s decision. Sometimes, it’s our fear that endorses the Herod’s decision. More than anything else, it’s our self-interest, that encourages the Herod in us or around us. But the Gospel challenges us to respond differently—to protect, cherish, and uphold life in all its forms. May this feast inspire us to stand for life, speak for the voiceless, and be instruments of healing and justice in a world so often marked by the weeping of Rachel. Where fear and violence once reigned, may love and respect for every human life prevail. In what ways might fear, indifference, or self-interest be influencing my own actions or inactions toward the vulnerable and marginalized, and how can I better recognize and respond to the presence of God in them?
Don Giorgio