The commemoration of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem.

                                                              Matthew 18:7 

 “Woe to 

the world 

because of 

stumbling 

blocks!

Occasions 

for stumbling 

are bound to 

come, but 

woe to the one 

by whom the stumbling block comes!” 

Received, 

we pray, 

into the arms 

of your mercy 

all  innocent 

victims; and

 by your 

great might 

frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish 

your rule of justice, love, and peace  - Collect 

This year's commemoration of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod cannot be ignored. The reality of it, the darkness, the sheer weight of the darkness of it shoves aside all our self-satisfied and oh so well orchestrated liturgies and brocade vestments. (And remember that it was  boys under the age of 2, those  who could pose a threat to King Herod, who were murdered, since girls were of no consequence whatsoever. And how far have we come in this realm?)  And don’t bother telling me that there is 

no corroboration outside of Holy Scripture for this for reality goes well beyond mere fact.   

No, this this year the reality and the brutality of it speaks so loudly that I cannot  ignore it. Not with millions of refugees looking for asylum, not with hundreds and thousands of people dying, literally dying, to get out of word zones. Not with the bombing of hospitals and schools by the Syrian and Russian armies in Aleppo. And that  is only one spot. No, the blood of the Holy Innocents cry out this year from all over the globe, scream out, proclaiming not with words but by their death the darkness of the evil that  the Incarnate One has come to conquer. And weirdly enough He conquers it by dying as well.