Tuesday, December 27, 2005
FEAST, THE HOLY INNOCENTS, MARTYRS
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DECEMBER 28, 2005
FEAST, THE HOLY INNOCENTS, MARTYRS
1 JOHN 1:5-2:2
Beloved: This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
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.
MATTHEW 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 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.
REFLECTION
Herod didn't want the newborn King of the Jews to live beyond
infancy, at least not as long as Herod was in power. His solution
was to immediately destroy anyone who poses a threat to his power,
pleasure, wealth, ease or comfort.
It's amazing to think to what extent Herod would go to assure his
undiminished power. He would slaughter all the male infants below
two years of age in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a small town.
Scholars determined that there may have been as many as forty male
infants in the city which were under the age of two. Our
imaginations refuse to dwell on the suffering, the ruthless pain
that these children must have experienced at the moment of their
deaths and the crushing pain that devastated the hearts of their
parents.
Yet each age in history has its own Herod, individuals who would not
stop at any extreme to safeguard their own personal kingdoms. If
one cannot vanquish Christ and Christian values in a free and open
intellectual or spiritual confrontation, then they would use any
means available to attain their end no matter how immoral it may
be. Amoral tyrants substitute their own good for the common good.
The life of their country centers about their own personal needs.
In our own country during the last thirty years of the twentieth
century, the roster of Christian martyrs grew quite long. Catholic
priests and religious, Protestant pastors, laity of different
Christian churches lost their lives, were deprived of their liberty
and had to flee into exile. These people suffered because they
refuse to give up their Christian values.
Today, even if martyrdom is not a threat to Christians, there are
values Christians must live by, but living out these values can be
painful. These values include integrity, honesty, incorruptibility,
concern for others and service to others. These values can put heavy
demands on Christians.
When we think of the Holy Innocents, while we wonder at the lives of
our modern martyrs and at their painful sacrifices accepted by these
heroic victims, we should reflect at our own lifestyles and at the
Christian values by which we should be living.
PRAYER
"Lord, you gave your life for my sake, to redeem me from slavery to
sin and death. Help me to carry my cross with joy that I may
willingly do your will and not shrink back out of fear or cowardice
when trouble besets me."
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
- in thanksgiving: all those who passed the recent nursing board
exams in Manila.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Bert Pascual. Eternal rest
grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he and
all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
- for the enlightenment and conversion of Armando.
- for the continued good health of Elsa & Paolo.
- for the personal intentions of Cha.
- for the safety and good health of Albert Yap.
- for the continued and speedy recovery of Mike Torres.
- for the personal intentions, forgiveness, peace, reconciliation
and harmony of the marriage of Charles Conrad H.C and Cheryl P.C.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Maria Bernadette Rodriguez Co
- Wedding Anniversary: Victoria & Leonardo L. Yu
- Wedding Anniversary: Alex & Christine Reichert
- In Memoriam: Cecillia Calibo Granada
- In Memoriam: Alberto Gothong
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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