The Holy Innocents

 "After the wise men had left, an angel of the LORD appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, 'Get up, take the child and HIS mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will soon be looking for the child in order to kill HIM.'

Joseph got up, took the child and HIS mother, and left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod.  In this way, what the LORD had said through the prophet was fulfilled: I called MY son out of Egypt.

When Herod found out that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was furious.  He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its neighborhood who were two years old or under.  This was done, according to what he had learned from the wise men about the time when the star appeared.

In this way, what the prophet Jeremiah had said was fulfilled: A cry is heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation: Rachel weeps for her children.  She refuses to be comforted, for they are no more." - Matthew 2:13-18 

(In relating the story about the slaughter of innocent children and the flight into Egypt, Matthew quotes two verses from the prophets Hosea and Jeremiah about the trials and sufferings of GOD's people in past times.  JESUS must live in exile and anguish, as did HIS ancestors.  Persecution begins with HIS birth and will follow HIM till HIS death.  Mary [and Joseph to a lesser degree] was associated with JESUS' sufferings and saving mission.

Christian tradition has always held that the "Innocents" associated with the Passion of CHRIST without having wished it also shared in HIS glory without having merited it.  This invites us to be mindful of the fact that the mysterious love of GOD envelops millions of massacred children and other hundreds of millions of massacred children and other hundreds of millions killed before seeing the light of day.  What should we think of so many stifled possibilities?  Individuals and society responsible for this disaster suffer the consequences; but GOD has all destinies in hand, HE knows them in advance, and no one by destroying life is able to limit GOD's generosity.  No matter how much innocent blood the enemies of the Gospel spill, they will not be able to extinguish the Church or to block GOD 's plans.) 

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