Recalling the Death of the Innocents--Past and Present

Tomorrow, December 28, is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Matthew's gospel recounts the story of the magi's visit to King Herod. The magi hoped that Herod could tell them where the newborn king of the Jews could be found. They shared with Herod what their studies had indicated about the time and place of this new king's birth. Fearing that this prophesied new king would pose a threat to him--but pretending that he wanted to honor him--Herod asked the magi to return and let him know where to find the baby king. However the magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. Joseph also received a similar warning. Matthew's account (Matthew 2:13-18) is as follows:
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 fulfulled 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 e consoled, since they were no more."

In recent years we've witnessed similar examples of mass murders, most recently in Newtown, Connecticut. Our sisters will be joining with other member congregations of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and with other religious groups--religious and civic--throughout the country in marking the murders of these most recent "holy innocents." We will be tolling the bells at Our Lady of Angels Convent here in Aston to remember the 20 children and six adults who were killed in Newtown, pausing in silence and in solidarity with others across the country.

In addition to this symbolic gesture, we also continue to work to change the culture of violence that seems to be more and more a part of our lives. The statement from LCWR cites specific ways to begin these efforts: to encourage congressional leaders to

• support a federal ban on the sale, transfer, importation and possession of assault weapons and the munitions that go with them,
• fund robust care for those with mental illness,
• take steps to address the growing use of violence as a means of entertainment. 

You can read the full statement from LCWR at www.lcwr.org.