Feast of the Holy Innocents
Holy Innocents and Martyrs, pray for us!
“A tiny child is born, who is a great king. Wise men are led to him from afar. They come to adore one who lies in a manger and yet reigns in heaven and on earth. When they tell of one who is born a king, Herod is disturbed. To save his kingdom he resolves to kill him, though if he would have faith in the child, he himself would reign in peace in this life and fore ever in the life to come.
“Why are you afraid, Herod, when you hear of the birth of a king? He does not come to drive you out, but to conquer the devil. But because you do not understand this you are disturbed and in a rage, and to destroy one child whom you seek, you show your cruelty in the death of so many children.
“…The children die for Christ, though they do not know it. The parents mourn for the death of martyrs. The child makes of those as yet unable to speak fit witnesses to himself …” (From the second reading of the Office of Readings for December 28, Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs)
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Art for this post on the Feast of the Holy Innocents: The Triumph of the Innocents, William Holman Hunt, 1883-1884, PD-US author’s term of life plus 100 years or less, Wikimedia Commons.
