Feast of The Holy Innocents

A voice was heard in Rama,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be comforted,
because they are no more.

Today is the Feast of the Holy Innoncents, which marks the massacre of baby boys by King Herod in his attempt to kill the Christ child. From Wikipedia: "Herod ordered the execution of all young male children in the village of Bethlehem, so as to avoid the loss of his throne to a newborn King of the Jews whose birth had been announced to him by the Magi."  We shake our heads in disbelief at the wickedness of King Herod in ordering this massacre. But there is a much greater massacre of innoncents happening every day, and probably not very far from you. It's called abortion.

It may seem odd that the Catholic Church would call the massacre of young boys by King Herod a "feast." Holy Mother Church says that these young boys were martyrs. St. Augustine explains:

Dearly beloved, today we keep the birth of these children, who, as we are informed by the Gospel were put to death by cruel King Herod. Therefore let earth rejoice with exceeding joy, for she is the fruitful mother of this great host of heavenly soldiers. The favour of vile Herod could never have done such service to these blessed ones as hath his hatred. For the Church testifieth by this holy solemnity, that whereas iniquity did specially abound against these little Saints, so much the more were heavenly blessings poured out upon them.

Blessed art thou, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, which hath suffered the cruelty of King Herod in the slaughter of thy children. For thou wast found worthy to offer to God, and that all at one time, an entire white-robed army of guileless Martyrs. Surely we do well to keep this day whereon they were borne from earth into heaven, which is so much more blessed to them than the day that brought them out of their mother's womb. Scarcely had they entered on the life that now is, than they obtained that glorious life which is to come.

We esteem as precious the death of those Martyrs who have deserved praise for the confession which they made during their lifetime ; but these little Martyrs delight us by their death-time alone. Scarcely had life dawned upon them, when the very destruction which brought it to a close became for them the beginning of glory. They, whom the wickedness of Herod tore from their mothers' breasts, are rightly called the Flowers of the Martyrs. Hardly had these early buds of the Church pushed above the ground in the winter of unbelief, than the frost of persecution destroyed them.

What Herod meant as death and destruction, our merciful God turned to glory and eternal bliss in heaven for these innoncent martyrs.  I can't say for sure, but I truly pray that our Lord welcomes each precious child into heaven after he undergoes the gruesome murder in the womb of his mother at the hands of the abortionist, who is Satan's high priest.  As St. Augustine so eloquently said:  "They, whom the wickedness of Herod tore from their mothers' breasts, are rightly called the Flowers of the Martyrs. Hardly had these early buds of the Church pushed above the ground in the winter of unbelief, than the frost of persecution destroyed them."

If you can, please go to an abortion clinic and pray for these children and for their parents.   Msgr. Philip Reilly, who heads "Helpers of God's Precious Infants", has said that going to an abortion mill is the same as going to Calvary.  From Msgr. Reilly's website, the reasons to go to the abortion mills are:

That we might be faithful and pleasing to God by saving the physical lives of God's precious infants throug the spiritual conversion of their mothers.

That we might grow closer to God by experiencing the mystery of His Cross. By denying ourselves comfort  in the morning, we will better find out what Calvary is like.

That we might more clearly realize Christ's personal love for each one of us, and know the joy of having responded to His call.

That we might learn to pray, offer penances, abandon the results of our labors to God, and recognize that it is God's power and love which will overcome the evil of abortion and soften the hearts of those who participate.

Also from Msgr. Reilly's website:

My Life Depends on You

Mamma, please don't hurt me,
I'm helpless and so small,
If you don't choose to keep me safe,
then I've no one at all.
I'm not a thing to be destroyed-
in private, secretly;
I'm growing here beneath your heart,
I'm real, I'm yours, I'm me!

Perhaps your heart is troubled,
filled with fears or filled with shame.
But Mamma, try to understand
I'm not the one to blame!
I've never, ever hurt you,
so you've nothing to forgive,
Why should I have to die
before I've had my right to live?

If you can't keep me, Mamma,
it's all right, I'll understand,
But please let someone else reach out
to take my tiny hand.
So many childless couples would be
happy as can be,
If they could but adopt and love
a little one like me.
Remember that when you were just
as small and frail as I,
Your mother didn't make the choice
to have her baby die.
You had your chance to live,
so, please let me have my chance, too.
I can't escape, I can't cry out...
My life depends on you!

Your preborn child