The Holy Innocents – the fourth day of Christmas

The Liturgical Year by Adolf Adam:

Even the oldest liturgical calendars already have a series of saints’ feasts directly following on Christmas. The Middle Ages saw these saints as a crotege of honor accompanying the Christ-child, and gave them the name Comites Christi (“Companions of Christ”). In the Roman liturgy these companions are Stephen the first martyr on December 26, John the Apostle and Evangelist on December 27, and the children whom Herod slew in Bethlehem on December 28 (cf. Mt 2.13-18). These three were regarded as representing the three possible forms of martyrdom: voluntary and executed (Stephen), voluntary but not executed (John), and executed but not voluntary (Holy Innocents).

HT Jenn of Feast and Feria

Today is the commemoration of the Holy Innocents

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,
Lamentation and bitter weeping:
Rachel Weeping for Her Children
Refusing to be comforted for her children,
Because they are no more.
Jeremiah 31:15

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Another sad day during the Christmas Season.

I think in every Catholic Household, throughout the rich liturgical year, you should choose to celebrate the feasts and commemorations that have meaning for your household. The Feast of the Holy Innocents is one of those for my household since I lost my own baby in 2002. It speaks to me as a mother in grief over the loss of my child in “lamentation and bitter weeping, refusing to be comforted for my child because he was no more.”

But more than that over the years, it reminds me to pray for the mothers and children who are victims of abortion, children lost to miscarriage and stillbirth, and other disasters. It is a day to remember the children, lives cut short, and to remember them and ask for their prayers too. Today in a special way, I remember Dana at Roscommon Acres whose little boy died in a home accident just before Christmas.

For me it will be a special day. It is true that the home in a mother’s heart will always be there after the loss of a child. But I think it is also true that a new baby is the salve that makes the pain from that injury bearable. I didn’t realize how much I still hurt until I compared my Christmases from 2002, 2003, and 2004 to the Christmases since Rosie was born. Certainly time and distance has helped, but the deep ache and emptiness I felt previously is not as severe. It’s like remembering what it was like to be very hungry compared to being very hungry. It’s that different. But going to mass today always helps me to heal some more. Tomorrow I will be attending a funeral mass for a little baby from our parish, and I hope I can bring some comfort there.

If you have lost a child, a son or daughter, sibling, little friend, today would be a good day to remember him or her. Join your prayers with the ones at mass today and ask your little friend in heaven to be your intercessor with the Father.

Today is also a special day to remember all of the little children who have died through abortion.
A Prayer for the Victims of Abortion.

Grave site of Baby John – found dead and alone at a construction site. Given a grave and Christian burial in 2005.

Blessing of Children on Feast of Holy Innocents: