In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, the Sunday after Christmas, the Gospel reading recounts a deeply troubling moment in the story of our Lord’s infancy: the flight into Egypt and the massacre of the Holy Innocents by King Herod. These innocent children, whose lives were stolen, are remembered as the first martyrs for Christ. Their tragic deaths echo through history, compelling us to reflect on the suffering of the innocent in every age.

At first glance, these stories may feel distant to us, as though they belong to another time and place. We live in a post-industrial world, cocooned by modern conveniences and distractions, where the tragedies of the Bible can seem remote or symbolic. But the reality is that God came into the world to awaken us to the enduring truth about human sinfulness and the sad capacity for evil in our fallen world. The events of the Gospel are not far away—they are here, now, repeating in the headlines and in the lives of those who suffer today.

The story of the massacre of the innocents is a stark reminder that the world has always been capable of terrible cruelty. Herod’s slaughter of the children of Bethlehem was an act of fear, pride, and power. It is not unlike the atrocities we witness in our own time—whether in war, systemic violence, or acts of inhumanity. Today, we cannot turn away from the ongoing conflict in Palestine and Gaza, where innocent lives—children and families—are being destroyed.

The sad reality is that human beings are capable of extreme evil. This was true 2,000 years ago, and it remains true today. In many ways, God is still struggling to be seen, to be acknowledged in a world that often chooses division, pride, and violence over unity, humility, and peace. In our modern lives, we may feel far removed from such suffering, but God calls us to step out of our comfortable cushions and confront the brokenness of the world.

When Christ entered the world, He did not come to divide or to claim that one man’s version of life was more valuable than another’s. Even in His infancy, Christ’s story revealed the depth of human suffering and God’s profound love for humanity. The Holy Family fled to Egypt as refugees, identifying forever with the displaced and the persecuted.

In today’s Gospel, Herod’s violence could not extinguish the light of Christ, just as the darkness of the world today cannot overcome Him. But the Gospel also does not allow us to turn away. God came into the world not to shield us from suffering but to teach us to see it, to feel it, and to act in the face of it.

As followers of Christ, we must respond to the tragedies of the world—not with despair, but with love and action.

We are called to bear witness to the suffering around us, even when it challenges our sense of security. The stories of those in Palestine, the families who have lost their homes and children, must not be ignored or dismissed as “too far away.” Their cries are the cries of Christ.

Our prayers are powerful. We must pray not only for peace in the Holy Land but also for the courage to act as instruments of God’s love. Prayer is not passive; it transforms us and compels us to act.

In a world that often feels too broken to fix, we may feel helpless. But we are not powerless. Standing up for love, kindness, and humanity—whether in small gestures or larger acts of advocacy—is our calling.

The beauty of our faith is this: even when the evils of the world overwhelm us, when our efforts seem to fail, we know that God’s love prevails. The Gospel teaches us that sorrow and tragedy can exist alongside hope and love. This is not an invitation to ignore the suffering of the world. It is an invitation to acknowledge it fully, to feel its weight, and to respond as Christ did—with love.

When we stand up for the innocent, when we witness their suffering and act with compassion, we honor the memory of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem and every innocent life lost to violence and oppression.

Today, we remember the Holy Innocents and the profound truths their story teaches us. God’s light shines in the darkness, but it is our task to carry that light into the world. Let us be witnesses of hope, defenders of the vulnerable, and bearers of Christ’s love in a broken world.

May the Christ Child, who fled as a refugee and brought hope to the world, guide us to be peacemakers and to stand against the darkness.
Amen.