Today, standing around the Crib of Jesus is a lovely choir of little children, wearing pure white robes and holding green palm branches in their tiny little hands. This day, December 28th we commemorate the Holy Innocent Martyrs, who were murdered when King Herod sought to kill the King of kings coming into the world.

Today, we celebrate the heavenly birthday of those children who were butchered by the cruel king of Judea. While Rachel, the mother of Israel, weeps for her children, today heaven rejoices, and the Church sings songs of great joy, because she is the fruitful mother of so many heavenly champions of such glorious faith.

Yet, who are these infant martyrs? Holy Scripture gives a similar account in the 2nd Book of Moses called Exodus. As the people of Israel multiplied and grew strong with many children in Egypt, an evil king by the name of Pharaoh gave his harsh decree, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile.” Maybe you remember the story of Moses: he was hidden by his mother for 3 months after birth.

When his mother could no longer keep her small and tender secret without being found out, she constructed a basket-like ark made of papyrus reeds and pitch to keep safe the child as he floated down the Nile River, the very waters which were meant for his drowning demise. Baby Moses was spared and even became Egyptian royalty. Yet, how often do you forget all the innocent male children slaughtered by the cruel tyrant Pharaoh’s merciless command?

Perhaps you know well the story following the Nativity of our Lord. Joseph saw in a dream that he must take Mary and the newborn Christ child into Egypt, the very land that at one time oppressed his people in slavery. “Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about the search for the Child, to destroy Him.” They departed and left that very night for the land of Pharaoh, avoiding the menacing grasp of Herod. And the Child was said to be a Son called out of Egypt.

And while Jesus is also called the King of kings and Lord of lords, it seems odd that Herod would be threatened by His prophecy. This Infant King would not rule the land of Judea, Israel, or the Middle East, but His Kingdom was not of this world.

The star proclaims the King is here;
But Herod, why this senseless fear?
For He who offers heavenly birth
Seeks not the kingdoms of this earth.

And still furious Herod sent out his harsh decree that every son born in Bethlehem and all the region under the age of 2 must be killed. You remember the story of Jesus and how His life was spared, but how often do you forget about the male children who were slaughtered by the cruel tyrant Herod’s merciless command?

The Tyrant Herod’s policy could ultimately do no harm as it was intended. The decree could not reach our Lord in Egypt. The end result was the recruitment of an immense army of Martyrs, male children holding palm branches and adorned in white robes:

“Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads … It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as first-fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.”

These children were given the distinct honor of martyrdom: that is, to be made victims for the sake of the Savior of the world, even before St. Stephen, the first martyr of the church. They knew life on this earth for but a short time, but now they possess life infinitely better. They lived on our earth, and they were undefiled, just as tender lambs made pure by the Lamb of God.

No further trial awaits them, they are in spotless innocence, and the glory due to a soldier who died to save the life of his Prince belongs eternally to them. They died for Jesus’ sake; their death was a real martyrdom and the Church calls them by a most beautiful name: the Flowers of the Martyrs:

Sweet Flowerets of the Martyr Band
Plucked by the tyrant’s ruthless hand
Upon the threshold of the morn
Like rosebuds by a tempest torn

They were the Church’s first blossoms, matured by the icy frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief. Yet, in them is perfect worship to our Lord: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mighest still the enemy and the avenger.” In them is perfect faith. A pure trust which is unscathed by the cynicism of this world, even as our Lord called to them, “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven.” Therefore, you who have been baptized by water should be all the more ready to honor these little ones, who were baptized in their own blood, and thereby grafted into the life of the Divine Infant.

You all can see the blessings of infant children even in our midst. In all cases, new life is a miracle granted by our Lord to families. Yet how often do you forget in our society of death, the loss of life by the tyrannical abortionist’s knife?

The truth is that every life is precious, and especially those of unborn babes. This is not a matter of personal freedom and choice. God’s little ones from the time of conception are precious in His sight. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

“Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will fear Thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are my works, and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from Thee when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect, and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them.”

But still, “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” Every parent who loses a child can resonate with Rachel, the mother of Israel. The death of a child is unnatural and tragic, particularly on this enormous of a scale, the burden is laid on us from time to time as well. When a son or daughter dies, a father and mother feel especially the shattering and crushing power of the dominion of death.

A parent can never take place of a child who dies. Jesus knew this feeling, except He was not powerless, and so now neither are we: “… Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a Great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Jesus is the Infant Priest who came to die for the infants. He also died for your loved ones.

And Christ takes the place of every child, every father, and every mother and joyfully gives His life as a ransom for all. He had compassion even from His manger when he gazed upon the Holy Innocent Martyrs. He has compassion on you, even tasting the pangs of death for you.

Today’s festival celebration of the Holy Innocent Martyrs reveals the malice and fury poured down upon children by the cruel King Herod, but in Jesus, heaven’s blessing streamed down upon them even more abundantly. The precious death of any martyr deserves high praise because of his heroic confession and steadfastness in persecution and death.

The death of these children is precious in the sight of God because of the blessing they received on account of the Infant Holy, Infant Lowly. This Babe of Bethlehem came for you, his own children as well. Just like these martyrs, the end of this present life is for you the beginning of glory. Amen.

The Peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

✠BJF✠