The Holy Innocents, feast
Commentary of the day
Saint Quodvultdeus : Children, but witnesses to Christ
Reading
1 Jn 1,5-10.2,1-2.
Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say, "We have fellowship with him," while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say, "We are without sin," we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
Ps 124(123),2-3.4-5.7-8.
Had not the LORD been with us, when people rose against us,
They would have swallowed us alive, for their fury blazed against us.
The waters would have engulfed us, the torrent overwhelmed us; seething waters would have drowned us.
We escaped with our lives like a bird from the fowler's snare; the snare was broken and we escaped.
Our help is the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.
Mt 2,13-18.
When they 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 him." 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." 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. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Saint Quodvultdeus, Bishop at Carthage from 437-453
Second sermon on the Creed; PL40, 655
Children, but witnesses to Christ
Why, Herod, do you fear when you hear a king is born? He has not come to dethrone you but to overthrow the devil. But you fail to understand, you take fright and fall into a fury. Because you lost the single child you were seeking, you become the cruel murderer of the many. Neither the weeping mothers’ love, nor the mourning of fathers weeping for their sons, nor the screams and howling of the children themselves hold you back. You massacre these little ones in their bodies because fear is killing you in your heart. And you think that, if you achieve your end, you will live on for a long time, whereas it is life itself you are trying to kill! He who is the source of grace, who is both small and great, who is lying in a manger, causes your throne to topple. He accomplishes his design through you without your knowing it. He gathers together the children of your enemies and makes of them children of adoption. These little ones died for Christ without knowing it; their parents weep for the death of martyrs. Although they were unable to speak, Christ made them capable of being his witnesses. See how this King reigns. Already he is setting free and bestowing salvation. But as for you, Herod, you are oblivious of what is happening; you take fright and fall into a rage. And when you get annoyed with a little child, you are already placing yourself at his service without realising it. How great the gift of grace is! What are the merits by which these children won the victory? They could not yet speak but already they are confessing Christ. Their little bodies are as yet unable to engage in combat but already they are carrying off the palm of victory.
No comments:
Post a Comment