INNOCENT BUT MADE HOLY

20161228 INNOCENT BUT MADE HOLY

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Red.

First reading

1 John 1:5-2:2 ©

This is what we have heard from Jesus Christ,

and the message that we are announcing to you:

God is light; there is no darkness in him at all.

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, his Son,

purifies us from all sin.

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 that is wrong.

To say that we have never sinned

is to call God a liar

and to show that his word is not in us.

I am writing this, my children,

to stop you sinning;

but if anyone should sin,

we have our advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ, who is just;

he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away,

and not only ours,

but the whole world’s.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 123(124):2-5,7-8 ©

Our life, like a bird, has escaped from the snare of the fowler.

If the Lord had not been on our side

  when men rose up against us,

then would they have swallowed us alive

  when their anger was kindled.

Our life, like a bird, has escaped from the snare of the fowler.

Then would the waters have engulfed us,

  the torrent gone over us;

over our head would have swept

  the raging waters.

Our life, like a bird, has escaped from the snare of the fowler.

Indeed the snare has been broken

  and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

  who made heaven and earth.

Our life, like a bird, has escaped from the snare of the fowler.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Te Deum

Alleluia, alleluia!

We praise you, O God,

we acknowledge you to be the Lord;

the noble army of martyrs praise you, O Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 2:13-18 ©

After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

I called my son out of Egypt.

Herod was furious when he realised that he had been outwitted by the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or under, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. It was then that the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled:

A voice was heard in Ramah,

sobbing and loudly lamenting:

it was Rachel weeping for her children,

refusing to be comforted because they were no more.

INNOCENT BUT MADE HOLY

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ 1 John 1:5-2:2; Ps 123:2-5,7-8; Matthew 2:13-18  ]

Today, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Innocents.  On this feast, we remember in a special way not only those innocent babies who died during the time of Christ but also all the unborn babies, and the thousands of children suffering from the tragedy of war, famine and natural disasters.  Besides the young there are many more who died innocently because of terrorism and insane wars.  On this feast too, we think of the many martyrs who stood for truth and love as well.

For such peoples, children and babies included, we can at most say they are innocent, but not holy.  Some of you might be shocked to read this statement.  But this is what St John wrote.  “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”  Indeed, the only exception is Mary who is both innocent and without sin.  The rest of us can be innocent but never without sin.   Even in the case of Mary, she was saved by Christ by exemption and in anticipation of her divine motherhood.

This explains why infants need baptism even though they commit no moral sin or personal sin.   Baptism makes us holy and children of God because it takes away our sins.  By His death and resurrection, “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”  We are baptized also to prevent us from falling into sin by our fellowship with Christ and the Christian community.  St John reminds us, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.”  To be baptized is more than just being washed clean of our sins but it is a call to walk in union with Christ and in fellowship with His body, the Church.  Baptism is not a private affair but it is a commitment both to Christ and His Church, the fellowship of the saints.  Those who are baptized but are not in fellowship with fellow Christians will eventually be influenced by the world of sin rather than the world of Christ.

Should we, then too, be worried that those children of ours who are not baptized, especially the unborn babies, aborted or still born are not given eternal life?  Of course not, because the mercy and love of God is beyond human understanding and the laws of the Church.  God can work in ways beyond our imagination.  So instead of fear and anxiety, we should place all our trust in God’s mercy and divine protection.  Like the psalmist, we should pray accordingly, “If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us, then would they have swallowed us alive when their anger was kindled.  Then would the waters have engulfed us, the torrent gone over us; over our head would have swept the raging waters.  Indeed, the snare has been broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”  God will rescue us from death because of His love for us.  His mercy and love abounds for all, especially for little babies and children for He did tell His disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 19:14)  We can be sure that with all the mothers, Christ also weeps for innocent children. “It was then that the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled:  A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loudly lamenting: it was Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they were no more.”  The cries of the mothers and the cries of the children are heard by Christ Himself.   He will show us more mercy than we to our own children!  Otherwise, no one would abort their babies or allow innocent children to be victims of war, suffering and hunger.   But the world has no mercy on innocent children and those who are weak, like the elderly and the sick.

But we need to ask a further question, whether we are innocent even though we know we are not holy.  Whilst we realize that holiness comes from God as a gift, can we be innocent in our sinfulness?  Many of us do not walk in the light.  As St John wrote, “we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth.”  The fact is that the suffering of the world and of innocent people are due to our sins of selfishness.   When an abortion is carried out, not only is the woman responsible, but the man is equally responsible as well.  Men should not exempt and exonerate themselves from the crime of abortion because they are as responsible in bringing an innocent baby into the world, then discard, terminate and kill the baby simply because they do not want to assume the responsibility of looking after the new life.  The death of an aborted baby is the work of both the man and the woman who brought life into the world.

There is a Herod in each one of us.  Like Herod, we do not want to assume responsibility.  We want to take the easy way out.  We are motivated by fear.  Herod was worried that his power would be taken away from Him by Christ, the Infant King of the Jews.  He thought that without power, his existence and happiness would be threatened.  He was afraid of pain and hunger.  So he sought to keep his status by destroying his perceived opponent or enemy of his desires.   We too act in that manner.  Anyone who is a threat to our status quo or our desires and ambitions, we seek by all means to eliminate, regardless whether they are our family members, colleagues or one-time friends.

We can be sure that those who advocate abortion, war and terrorism are ruled by fear and self-interests.  The reason why they destroy and kill is simply to protect themselves.   Some of them are fully aware that what they are doing is wrong and evil.  But most kill out of fear and helplessness, especially in the case of abortion or even euthanasia.  Some do it believing that it is the lesser of two evils.  So even for such people, we must also say to them, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk 23:24)

Indeed, for us all who are neither innocent nor holy, let us turn to the Lord for He is our advocate with the Father.  “My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”  Let us ask for forgiveness and repent of our ways.  The best way to assure ourselves of God’s forgiving and healing love is to find a compassionate confessor who can hear and forgive our sins in the sacrament of reconciliation.  If you cannot find one, pray for one so that you have the courage to confess your sins with contrition and find healing and consolation.

Let us have faith that all is within God’s plan.  We read that Jesus’ fleeing from Herod to Egypt is the work of divine providence.  St Matthew gave a footnote, “This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:  I called my son out of Egypt.”   And so “after the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’”  Somehow God will look after us.  All we need to do is to follow the example of Joseph and just obey.  “So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead.”   Let us therefore entrust our lives to the Lord and all our loved ones, the innocent babies and children, the elderly and those who are refugees suffering in war torn countries, those fleeing from wars and authoritarian governments.  Whilst we feel helpless to offer help to all these people, we can pray for them and do the little we can within our capacity and within our own backyard.  We too must be more sensitive to our martyrs at home, our spouse, our children, our siblings and our colleagues and priests who work hard for us.  Have compassion on them by being grateful and do not allow them to suffer injustice and ingratitude, causing them to become resentful towards God!

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved