FEAST OF THE
HOLY INNOCENTS
Psalms, Chapter 128, verse 1:9
Blessed are all who fear the LORD, and who
walk in his ways.
Those
who fear the Lord work to not react to their feelings but act from
the principle of God’s unconditional love to empower others even at personal
cost. They practice the three cardinal virtues of Faith, Hope and
Charity. The act of blessing works both ways and all are bless’; both those who receive and those
who give.
Four Calling Birds
Today in the
song the 12 days of Christmas the 4th day we sing of the Four Calling
Birds which represent the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
During the upcoming year it would make a worthy project to read them all. These
gospels will help us to be persons of courage.
Cup of Courage
For
Christmas my wonderful wife brought me three coffee mugs on being 1) a man of
courage 2) a man of strength and 3) a man of wisdom. It takes courage to live
out the gospels. Here is what is on the courage mug: Blessed is the man who
faces his fears honestly, holds on to hope passionately, and seeks others
readily for help, reassurance, and love.
Be strong and courageous…the
Lord your God is with you wherever you go.-Joshua 1:9
Christmas Calendar[1]
Read: Read today about the Holy Innocents who were put to death by King Herod.
Reflect: The observances of the Christmas season
illuminate many key themes for the faithful. Meditate today on this
one:
"The sacredness of human life and the wonderful event that
is every birth, since the Word of life came amongst men and was made visible
through his birth of the Virgin Mary (see 1 Jn 1:2)."
—Directory on Popular Piety and
the Liturgy (2001), no. 108 Pray
Pray the Rosary for life today.
Act: Add an intercession for life that has particular meaning for your
family to the mealtime blessing today.
Feast of the Holy Innocents[2]
Today is the
Feast of the Holy Innocents who were killed by Herod in his search to kill the
baby King who was born in Bethlehem.
What persons
are like Herod? All those who
destroy children, in body or in soul; for example unmanly men who are cruel to
their wives while with child, who strike them, incite them to anger, or terrify
them; heedless parents who neglect their little ones, who do not take pains to
keep them clean and healthy; those corrupt and godless women who destroy the
fruit of their shame either before or after birth, and while yet unbaptized.
But more cruel than all these, and even than Herod himself, are they who
scandalize little children by impure conversations, by indecent songs, by acts
of impurity in their presence, or by inciting them to the like; for thereby
they plunge the souls of the children into destruction.
In
many religious communities, Innocents' Day was the traditional feast for the
youngest members. In keeping with the upside-down spirit of Twelfth-night, the
youngest novice had the privilege of sitting at the first place or even of
being abbot for a day. Feast of the Holy Innocents is a day for the younger
members of the family or religious community. Some kind of "baby food"
-- such as a hot cereal with sugar and cinnamon -- is
generally served to them. In the family, the youngest member is also the
"celebrity" of the day, especially if he is a baby. Customs like decorating the crib or blessing the baby are
appropriate ways of observing the feast. Today, on the day in which little ones
shed their blood for Christ, was the festival for choirboys and students.
Today
is also an excellent day for Father’s and Mother’s to bless their children.
Blessing
O
Lord, Jesus Christ, Who didst embrace and lay thy hands upon the little
children when they came to thee, and didst say to them: "Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for the kingdom of heaven is
theirs, and their angels always see the face of my Father," — look with a
Father's eye upon the innocence of these children and their parents' devotion,
and bless them this day through our ministry. By thy grace and goodness let
them make progress in desiring thee, loving thee, fearing thee, obeying thy
commandments — thus coming to their destined home, through thee, Savior of the
world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, God,
forever and ever. Amen.
Today I
will ask the Lord to bless all my seven children! (Claire, Christopher,
Candace, Dara, Rachel, Nicole and Vincent) Also my step children! (Kelly, Ryan
and Nathan)
During this Christmas season let us take up the nature of God by
reflecting on these traits that make us a model for our children and our
sisters and brothers in Christ. Today reflect on:
Meekness vs. Anger
Yielding
my personal rights and expectations to God (Psalm 62:5)
716 The
People of the "poor" - those who, humble and meek, rely solely on
their God's mysterious plans, who await the justice, not of men but of the
Messiah - are in the end the great achievement of the Holy Spirit's hidden
mission during the time of the promises that prepare for Christ's coming. It is
this quality of heart, purified and enlightened by the Spirit, which is
expressed in the Psalms. In these poor, the Spirit is making ready "a
people prepared for the Lord."
1716
The Beatitudes are at the heart of
Jesus' preaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since
Abraham. The Beatitudes fulfill the promises by ordering them no longer merely
to the possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom of heaven:
Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.
2302
By recalling the commandment, "You
shall not kill," our Lord asked for peace of heart and denounced murderous
anger and hatred as immoral.
Anger
is a desire for revenge. "To
desire vengeance in order to do evil to someone who should be punished is
illicit," but it is praiseworthy to impose restitution "to correct
vices and maintain justice." If anger reaches the point of a deliberate
desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it
is a mortal sin. The Lord says, "Everyone who is angry with his brother
shall be liable to judgment."
Daily Devotions
·
Novena
to the Holy Face Day 2
·
Please pray for me and this ministry
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