I composed the following post on 12/29/2015, one day after last year's Feast of the Holy Innocents.
Yesterday was the Feast of the Holy Innocents. I alluded to this feast day in my post a few days ago. The Gospel reading for yesterday (Matthew 2: 13-18) involved our holy patron Joseph. Here it is:
When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
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,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.
Here are a few reflections.
1) This is the second time in the Scripture where Joseph receives instruction in a dream. I did a post devoted to the subject of dreams back in August. If interested, you can just click on the "Saint Joseph the Worker Blog" banner at the top and it should allow you to see all posts, and you can then choose that one, or any other ones from this blog's early days that you may have missed.
2) It was interesting reading some of the commentary in the Catholic blogosphere yesterday. What would be termed the more "progressive" or "liberal" commentators highlighted how Mary and Joseph were refugees, and that we need to be compassionate towards refugees today. The more "conservative" or "traditional" highlighted the slaughter of the infants, and how we are still today killing infants via abortion. The priest at the Shrine yesterday fell into the latter camp. I felt a certain release in my soul yesterday as I heard his words. It was so surprising and refreshing to hear a priest speak on the topic. The topic of abortion seems to be rarely discussed at all from the pulpit. I am not sure if it because we are trying to be sensitive and do not wish to alienate anyone, or what it is. I do understand our Holy Father has said we should not be talking about this topic all the time, but we have to sometimes, for several reasons. We need to try to be saving lives. We need to make sure we understand that the Church teaches that the taking of innocent life is always a sin. Finally, we need to try, especially in this Year of Mercy, to make people aware that God's mercy is available for those who have been involved with an abortion(s) in any way.
So, the Gospel for yesterday's Mass can teach us about dreaming, about respect for refugees, and about respect for the little ones.
I want to close this post by addressing those reading who may have had an abortion, or encouraged someone to have one.
1) Abortion is a sin, and it does need to be repented of before you can have divine life in you in this life and eternal life in the Kingdom of heaven. Please do not let anyone inside or outside the Church tell you, or try to convince yourself, that it was "OK" with what you did. It is a sin.
2) I am a sinner as great as you are, and I need to repent myself of the sins I have committed. I am no better or holier a person than you.
3) God's Mercy is greater than any of our sins. He loves you, as He does me, and wants you to share in His Divine Life. Whether you have had one abortion, or one hundred, His Mercy knows no bounds, no limits, and He is ready and willing to forgive you in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As I said before, the Shrine offers Confession six days a week. I am sure a priest nearby you would be happy to hear your confession, as well.
4) If you have already confessed the sin of abortion, God can use what happened for a greater good. God permits evil and suffering to allow for a greater good. Christ's awful death opened the pathway to eternal life for everyone who accepts it. Your suffering, likewise, can open the floodgates of mercy and grace to many others. You can speak of your experiences, and help spread and build up a Culture of Life, instead of the Culture of Death we see today on the nightly news. Do not dwell on your sin, God has forgiven it. In fact, you could say, He has forgotten about it. Focus on His message of mercy, love, and life that you especially are now called to preach by words and deeds.
Back on August 19, I did a post about Joseph as patron of the unborn. Again, click on the banner above and you can access that post. I will re-post here in closing a prayer of healing that can be said by those who have been involved with an abortion.
O St. Joseph, after your most holy spouse, our Blessed Mother, you were the first to take into your arms and heart the baby Jesus. From the first time you gazed upon him and helped him, your heart and soul were forever bonded to him. You caressed the Holy Child with fatherly love and affection, and you committed yourself always to love, protect, and care for this Son.
Look now with similar love and affection upon this child of mine, who has gone from this world. I place my child, as well as my grief and guilt, into the eternal embrace of your arms. Hold and caress my child for me with the love of my arms and sweetly kiss my child with all the tender affection of my heart.
As God the Father entrusted the care of His most precious Son into your most loving and confident hands, so too do I entrust into your fatherly care this child of mine. Please present him to the merciful hands of Our Lord, so that one day, when I too leave this world, my child may greet me into eternal life. Amen
Joseph, patron of the unborn, pray for us.
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