Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28, 2023

Fr. Rick’s Two-Minute Homily Feast of the Holy Innocents,
December 28, 2023, Matthew 2:13-18
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122823.cfm

Pray for Innocence.

Oh, what a priceless treasure we have in this Christ Child. We must do everything we possibly can to protect Him living in us. When we don’t protect Him and live in his innocence, we see the horrors that come upon us.

We hear mothers crying hysterically as their babies are torn from their arms that dark night in Bethlehem. With the loss of our innocence, we no longer hear the mothers weeping as the lives of their babies are taken from their wombs. No one sheds tears, and no hearts break until after the fact.

We hear and grieve with parents on our streets who lose their teenagers in senseless killings. The loss of innocence in the soul of our nation is the loss of God in our people. No more “Merry Christmas,” they shout. No more “In God We Trust” on our currency—no more mention of Our Lord’s Name in our public schools.

The loss of our holy innocence is the death of God in our hearts as a people. Who can protect us? Who can save this child in us from ourselves? Mary and Joseph took the child Jesus into the night of our darkness and fled to Egypt. Let us take these sins of our nation and all their darkness to Calvary in this holy Mass.

Let us weep tears of mercy for every mother and father who no longer mourns for their children whose lives were taken in the womb. And perhaps, please God, one child will be saved because we prayed as a community this morning. And with God’s grace, our streets will become a haven for our children, and many children will go home tonight free from harm.

Gospel Challenge:

Pray to Mother Mary the Holy Rosary for God to have mercy on the people of our nation. And ask St. Joseph to take us to Egypt away from whoever would destroy human life.

Love Your Neighbor:

Please join me in praying for all baptized Catholics to be faithful to Jesus in the Holy Mass every weekend. Hail Mary, full of grace…

Mother Mary, “I am yours now and forever. Through you and with you, I always want to belong completely to Jesus.” The Surrender Novena – InHeartland. https://inheartland.com/pages/the-surrender-novena

Peace be with you.

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC

www.bscchurch.com

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