It has been a month since I last blogged. I had been quite unwell. But today is a good day and I just heard an amazing homily at Mass this morning. Today is the "Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs". It commemorates the event recorded in Matthew 2:16 "When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. "
From the Catholic Daily Reflections:
"We can only imagine the grief that would have filled the town of Bethlehem and its vicinity as the soldiers went through killing those innocent children as their parents watched helplessly. On one hand, it’s shocking to know that God permitted this. On the other hand, on a level of deep faith, we must strive to understand the witness that these innocent children gave.
Though this was an unspeakable crime and evil, from the perspective of eternity, it will be sorted out by God. In Heaven and forevermore, these innocent victims will wear the martyr’s crown and will be honored by the angels and saints as the first witnesses to the newborn King. Though this may not have eased the pain at the time, it will certainly transform the pain those families felt as they enter into the justice of Heaven.
Their witness reveals to us much about our own lives. It reveals that there are many times in life when things are simply 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 right every wrong in the end. Today, we celebrate a solemn feast in the honor of these children as a way of saying that God has transformed this tragedy into something glorious."
At the homily this morning, Fr. Joseph had these to say (and I expanded it with my own reflections and scriptural references):
(1) King Harold was afraid that his power will be taken away by this newborn king. Not knowing that Jesus' kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36) King Harold let this fear drive him to do such a treacherous act. In what way am I like King Harold? What are the fears that drive me to do evil?
"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (I Corinthians 6:9-11)
"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions" (Galatians 5:19-20)
And from today's scripture reading: "This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." (I John 1:5-2:2)
But praise be to God, Jesus the newborn King will be offering Himself on the cross to be the atoning sacrifice for my sins. What I need to do is to examine my conscience regularly, offer myself as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1; especially by attending regular Mass) with a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17), then confess my sins to the priest and "If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness".
(2) "Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare." was the Responsorial Psalm which is based on Psalm 124. The Gospel passage for today is Matthew 2:13-15
"Now after they had left, 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 about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and
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 have called
my son.”"
It brings to mind a familiar passage in scripture "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)
My recent illness is a testament to this. Through the many days of suffering, I was reminded that God is all sufficient and is able to provide. I spent the many hours of laying in bed learning to offer up my suffering for the salvation of my children and grand children. I even managed to memorize 6 Psalms in the bible (Psalms 1, 8, 23, 24, 103, and 121)! And because I was trying to reduce "screen time" my dear wife would read to me almost every day the Morning Offering and the Liturgy of the Hours. We pray together the Prayer to the Holy Apostle St. Jude (Patron of the desperate):
"O most holy apostle, Saint Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honoureth and invoketh thee universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, and of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, who am so miserable. Make use, I implore thee, of that particular privilege accorded to thee, to bring visible and speedy help where help was almost despaired of. Come to mine assistance in this great need, that I may receive the consolation and succor of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (here make your request: for David) and that I may praise God with thee and all the elect throughout eternity. I promise thee, O blessed Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favour, to always honour thee as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to thee.
Amen."
And then we pray together the Daily Prayer to Guardian Angel:
Angel of God
My guardian dear
To Whom His love
Commits me here
Ever this day
Be at my side
To light and guard
To rule and guide. Amen
You see, through my suffering I learn to identify with St. Paul: "I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. " (Colossians 1:24) and understand better what St. Peter meant: "But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. " (1 Peter 4:13) and bring to mind St. James encouragement: "My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4).
Just two days before (December 26) we celebrated the "Feast of the Martyrdom of St. Stephen" which was based on Acts 7:58-59. St. Stephen's life maybe cut short but he modeled for us with these two amazing prayers which were the same prayers of Jesus on the cross:
"While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”" (Acts 7:59)
He had committed his life to the Lord Jesus and endured to the end; and,
"Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died." (Acts 7:60)
This is what Jesus meant when He exhorted us to forgive our enemies!
