Feast of the Holy Innocents - Reflection

Feast of Holy Innocents  (12/28/2016)

(readings)

God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.

Do those words make sense for the Feast of the Holy Innocents?  I had to think hard about that this morning.

Because  in the Gospel, the light of God was not in Herrod’s actions. The light of God is not in any of the actions that threaten innocence.

So many people today, use evil and suffering in the world to doubt the existence of God. How can this happen? If there is a God how can the darkness of evil exist in the world? Darkness, lies, and evil exists and it pulls people from the light, truth, and goodness of God.

In reality we who believe know that this is proof that God exists. Science supports it by Newton Third Law. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  

Where there is light there is darkness. Where there is good there is evil.  Where there is absolute truth there is absolute lies.  We are born free to choose light or darkness, truth or lies, and good or evil.  We are free to live the actions of God or live the darkness of the evil one.

Darkness, lies, and evil exists. Today, when innocence is threatened by abortion, genocide, or euthanasia the darkness in the world gets darker. When personal innocence is attacked by rape, abuse, or violence, our light is dimmed. When the world is attacked by the lies and evil of terrorism, war, and murder that the evil one can justify in humanity then the darkness gets stronger. Innocence is slaughtered. The truth, goodness, justice, dignity, and peace that is the light of God that existed in the innocence is extinguished. But, the light of the innocent will remain if we remember them.

And most of us stay in the middle of the road, because the light of Christ is not strong enough in us to fight the evil. To strengthen the light of truth come to it through prayer, the sacraments, and fortify the light in you by the Body and Blood of Christ.

Believers strengthen our flame. Stand up for the innocent. It is our mission to shine the light of God in Christ on the darkness that abounds in the world.

We will always be like Rachael sobbing and weeping for the death of the innocent; yet in the cloud of our tears. we are called out of Egypt to be the light of Christ in the world. Amen.