The Holy Innocents – December 28th
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Wise Men came from the East to worship Him. They went to Herod, the King, to ask him where they might find the new-born King of the Jews, the Savior. Herod was a cruel, clever tyrant, and when he heard these Wise Men speak of a newborn King, he began to worry about losing his throne. But he did not let the Wise Men know what he was thinking. He called in the chief priests and asked them where the Bible says the Messias was to be born. They answered that the Messias was to be born in Bethlehem.
“Go and find out about this child,” the wicked King said to the Wise Men. “When you have found out where He is, come and tell me, that I, too, may go and worship Him.” The Wise Men went on their way, and they found Jesus, the Messias, with Mary and Joseph. When they had adored Him and given Him their gifts, they were warned in their sleep not to go back to Herod. And an angel came to tell St. Joseph to take Mary and Baby Jesus into Egypt. In this way, God spoiled the murderous plans of Herod concerning the Divine Child.
When Herod realized that the Wise Men had not come back to him, he became furious. Already, he was an evil, violent man, and now the fear of losing his throne made him worse. He sent his soldiers to kill the boy babies of Bethlehem, in the hope of killing the Messias, too! The soldiers carried out the bloody order, and there was great sorrow in the little town of Bethlehem, as mothers wept over their murdered babies.
These little children are honored today by the Church as martyrs. They are called the Holy Innocents.
Let us always respect little children. They are innocent and pleasing to God. Let us never do or say anything which could give bad example to them.
