Homily For Thursday The Octave of Christmas, 28th December, 2023

The Feast of The Holy Innocents

Readings: 1 John 1:5-2:2, Ps 124, Matt.2:13-18

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHY KILL THE INNOCENTS OVER YOUR SELFISH AMBITION?

 

As we continue the celebration of the birth of Christ, the Church today, calls our attention to one of the ugly events that occurred in Bethlehem as a result of King Herod's love of power and fear of losing his power to the newborn baby our Lord Jesus Christ. So out of envy, pride and greed, he ordered the killing of all the male children from two years down. The Greek Liturgy states that Herod killed 14,000 boys, the Syrians speak of 64,000, and many medieval authors also suggested 144,000, according to the book of Revelation 14:3. However, modern writers reduce the number since Bethlehem was a rather small town.

 

 Nevertheless, this ugly event illustrates our ugly attitude towards human life, showing us that every human life begins with birth and ends with death.  See how the presence of the baby Jesus made the King of this world tremble, frenzy, mad with rage that he ordered the killing of innocent children. No pity for sorrowing mothers, no sympathy for weeping fathers, no compassion for the crying voice of the little innocent. Just as we heard in our Gospel passage: a voice crying in Ramah, sobbing and loudly lamenting: it was Rachel weeping for her children because they were no more. They were slaughtered out of fear for the Prince of Life.

 

Dear friends, this outrageous event is still happening in our societies today. For how often do we kill the innocents out of our selfish ambitions? Is this not obvious when we see and hear what people do for the sake of obtaining powers and retaining them? When we engaged in all forms of atrocities just for the sake of our political and other ambitions? We are not far from Herod when we kill people because of position, power and comfort.

 

We are the same as Herod when we prevent others from living out their potential. We are not far from Herod when we kill the young fetus through abortion and every other means of terminating pregnancy. We are like Herod when we refuse to submit to the will of God out of pride. We are like Herod when we let envy, jealousy and greed get hold of us and blindfold us into doing evil against other people.

 

Therefore, we are called today to reflect on our ugly attitude towards people, especially children, we are called not to be like Herod who out of fear, envy and love of power seeks to murder Life itself, rather we are called to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience and truth in following the will of God.

 

Little wonder, St. John in our first reading today said: If we say that we are in union with God while we are living in darkness, we are lying because we are not living the truth. But if we live our lives in the light, as he is in the light, we are in union with one another, and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin. However, if we say we have no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves and refusing to admit the truth; But if we acknowledge our sins, then God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and purify us From everything wrong.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we reflect on the life and death of the Holy Innocents, grant us the grace to embrace your will over our worldly ambitions. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. As the year comes to an end, hope in the Lord, be faithful, and be steadfast for you are so special to the Lord. Do have a fruitful day.