Word to the Wise
Monday, December 28, 2020 - Dec. 28 - Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
[1 John 1:5-2:2 and Matt 2:13-18]When the Magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy." Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of HErod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled : Out of Egypt I called my son. [Matthew]
The Gospel According to Matthew portrays Jesus as a "new Moses." This portrayal is echoed in the story of the "flight into Egypt." The story of Moses' life being threatened as an infant by Pharaoh's murderous decree [Ex 1:15 - 2::10] serves as the model for the escape from Herod. The Gospel According to Matthew is also at pains to show Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, so Jesus' return from Egypt after the death of Herod is the fulfillment of Hosea 11:1: When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son.
It is understandable that anyone dedicated to the welfare of children of all ages, from conception to adulthood, would see in this feast the commemoration of all those children who were never allowed to reach adulthood, especially the unborn. During my time as a campus minister at the University of Colorado medical school [1974-77], I was invited to be a part of the meetings of a group dedicated to the prevention of child abuse. The meetings were hosted by a doctor who wrote an influential book, The Battered Child Syndrome. The stories of the children that I heard left a lasting impression. The advent of "child protective services" in many states has helped, but these are typically underfunded and understaffed. Society as a whole seems to deny how widespread the problem is. As terrible as the practice of elective abortion is, the problem of abuse of those who are born also deserves our attention and resources. The Holy Innocents speak for all children. We can do the same. AMEN