Santhiya Philomone csc –
Readings: Jn 1:5-2:2; Mt 2:13-18
The Gospel Highlights the role that Joseph played according to God’s plan. His role was to protect Mary and Jesus. He was a true witness to God’s plan, as we see in Matthew 2:14. Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect them from Herod.
In the second part of the Gospel, it is saddening to see the slaughter of many children. They are the first martyrs of the church. Tertullian wrote in his Apologeticus, “the blood of the Christians is the seed of a new life”. As Christians, we have the privileged part in the society to express our faith freely. This is because of innocent lives like these who were martyred.
Out of envy and hatred king Herod killed these innocent kids. Their witness reveals to us much about our own lives. It tells us that there are times in life when things are not fair and not just. The massacre of these innocent children is a powerful reminder of this fact. But one thing we must hold on to is that God will make right every wrong in the end.
Today as we celebrate this solemn feast in honor of these children, we are saying that God has transformed this tragedy into something glorious. The same is true with each one of us. Whatever your ‘tragedy’ may be, know that the Son of God entered our world, taking on our fallen human nature, so that He could make all things right.
Lord, you came into this world helpless and poor. You lived among the powerless and the needy and became one among them. Make me alive to the sufferings of the innocent. Make me your instrument to help the suffering, remembering always that whatever I do to ‘the least of these little ones’ I do to you.