Even at his birth, the life of Christ is threatened. The truth is not always welcome. The Kingdom of God does threaten worldly kingdoms, but not by force of arms, but with the power of love; not by oppression, but with freedom.
Today’s Feast of the Holy Innocents illustrates the impact one person can have, for good or evil. Herod, wrapped up in his own power and worldly interests rejected the Truth and destroyed the lives of many. Christ, with the power of divine love, comes to change and save the lives of all who believe in him.
Evil destroys life. Christ creates, restores, and redeems life. When persecution destroys the human life of believers, Christ restores that life for all eternity.
As we recall the Holy Innocents whose lives were taken because Herod was threatened by the news of the birth of a new king, we are invited to a deeper awareness of the young lives that are threatened today by other tyrants and ideologies.
Abortion in the United States alone destroys the lives of an estimated one million pre-born children each year. Because so many are unwilling to embrace the truth that life begins at conception, abortion has simply become another means of birth-control. Let us work to help protect the lives of the unborn as well as to aid the women who carry this precious gift of life.
It is easy to call to mind the many young children (and adults) who have died in Syria in recent years, and the many who are now injured, homeless and orphaned because of selfish political agendas that refuse to respect human dignity and the common good. We are called to greater awareness of the many others whose lives are threatened as they flee these and other war torn areas or persecution.
Trafficking women and children for sexual exploitation is the fastest growing criminal activity in the world today. Child abuse and sex trafficking continues to damage thousands if not millions of young lives every year. Socially, the more used term is prostitution, but sex trafficking is much broader, and the demand is growing for younger and younger children.
Today’s feast once again cries out for a proper understanding of the truth of the human person, as one created in the image and likeness of God. The world family is invited today to accept the truth of biological science that human life begins at conception, and every life bears an inherent dignity because it is sacred in the eyes of God.
How many young people today are ‘lost’ and angry? How much of this is due to the rejection of God and his eternal truths?
When we embrace Christ, we discover the love of God. When we know Christ, we gain wisdom in the face of Truth. When we love Christ, we know Life itself. Join me in prayer today for a greater acceptance in the world today of Christ and the Truth and Life he brings.
Let us also work and pray that those who know the darkness of persecution and oppression may one day (soon) know freedom and restoration of their human dignity and life.
+pde
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