Meditation for December 28, The Holy Innocents

Herod and his court are angry with Jesus. Because of Him the little Innocents will perish. "This new-born child must die," Herod cries out. "Those Magi were to bring me word about Him. Did I not tell them that I would go and adore Him? Oh, the wretches, they have gone back another way into their country. Very well then, let all small children in Bethlehem be killed. Let none escape. The future King of the Jews must be included in this great slaughter. Woe to them if like Joash at the time of Queen Athaliah, the precious Child be saved! That must not be! All, you understand, kill all!"

Herod reckons without Divine Providence. Arise, says the Angel to Joseph, Take the Child and His Mother and fly into Egypt, and be there until I shall tell thee.

Joseph leaves; the Child is saved. A miracle of prompt obedi­ence! A few hours of delay and all would have been lost. Jesus would have been among the slaughtered.

"O my divine "Savior, since Your birth You have willed that suffering be our lot. Sometimes the mere fact that we are consecrated to You by vows is enough to bring wrath and persecution upon us. The Holy Innocents of Your time have had successors in every epoch. May You be blessed, O Jesus, if I must suffer for Your Name. Strengthen me in that hour."

I must have greater trust in Divine Providence. My faith is weak. St. Felix of Nola, pursued by his enemies, hid in a crack in an old wall....A spider descended and spun its web in the opening. The police came and seeing the web said: "No one has entered here for a long time." And they passed on. St. Paulinus, who relates the fact, adds: "Where Christ is present the spider web becomes a wall; where Christ is absent the wall becomes a spider web."
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)