On this 28th day of December the Church celebrates the memory of the twenty or so male babies from Bethlehem whom King Herod put to death in an attempt to kill the Christ Child, whom the Magi or Wise Men called “the new born king of the Jews.” Thus the story of the Holy Innocents is intertwined with the story of the Magi who, following a star, came to Bethlehem to worship a new born king. Ironically, the journey of the Wise Men ended not at a royal palace, but at a stable with a child “wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.” From the Biblical record it is not possible to determine the day or year the Holy Innocents were slaughtered. What we do know is that they were murdered within two years following the arrival of the Magi who came to Herod asking about the new born king of the Jews.

Early Christians saw these innocent children as the first martyrs to bear witness to Jesus Christ. These innocents died not just for Christ but instead of Christ. Their memory has been celebrated in the Latin Church with an annual feast day from approximately 485 of the Christian era.

In some parishes they use this Feast of the Holy Innocents to remember the millions of innocents of our day who are slaughtered by abortion. It has become a day of prayer for the unborn. They might also picket or pray at abortion facilities. However, I came across a parish in Texas which has the following on their website:

“The Feast of the Holy Innocents is an opportunity for those of us who have lost infants, children or adult children through death to come together in prayer to celebrate the lives of the children we have lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, accident or illness. Anyone who wishes to pray with us is welcome. Father Don will lead us through the evening of prayer. Attendees are invited to bring a picture or memento.”

I thought this parish had a great idea and I’m thinking we might do something similar next year to mark the feast of the Holy Innocents. In the faces of our own children we can find the image of the babies of that dreadful slaughter of Bethlehem. How can we not remember our own lost children and fail to feel the anguish of the parents of the Holy Innocents or the pain of our own parishioners who have lost a child? So mark your calendars for December 28, 2007 and until then let us keep in prayer those who have lost a child.

The story of the Holy Innocents is intertwined with that of the Wise Men in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt 2:1-18):

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'"

"Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."

"After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

"Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON."

"Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according
to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been
spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE."