Holy Innocents Martyrs' Day...

    I love Christmas Seasons. I love the whole idea about wishing people Merry Christmas for days after Christmas Day. I love the puzzled look on the faces of people when I tell them that the commercial Christmas season is actually our Advent Season. I love when sharing with others that the Christmas Season for us in the liturgical Calendar starts on Dec 25 and ends every year on the feast day of the Baptism of our Lord, which varies every year. This year, for example, it will end on January 9. I also like very much the fact that we celebrate different saints during that season who point us to the very meaning of what Christmas represents for. As I was reflecting on what my monthly blog would be during this season, the feast of the Holy Innocents Martyrs stood out. Every year, pondering on this Season teaches me something new. 
You see I found myself pondering on the relationships dynamic in Matthew 2. It says that 'Herod became furious'(v.16). His anger had surpassed control, and now he was literally fuming. He was beyond self-control, and sadly the outcome of his anger was order thousands of children below the age of two to be killed. Hey!!! I was thinking about moments where I leave God out of my decisions, the outcomes are awful. 

©Image from 'Chaplet of Love' facebook page

       We learn from the Holy Innocents Martyrs that when human driven relationships have an unhealthy sense of expectation that when unfulfilled can cause us to harm ourselves or others. We learn from the Holy Innocents Martyrs that God driven relationships are rooted in that godly trust that overcomes every storm that comes its way. It does not succomb to what seems shiny, but rather clothes itself with divine wisdom.  When Herod told the Magi to report back to Him after finding the baby Jesus, it seemed like a harmless proposal. I mean it is coming from the King himself; it is so appealing. Why would you not want to accept such proposal? However, because these men were so anchored in God, something seemed off this wondrous proposal. The Scriptures tell us that 'they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.'(2:12). You and I might have reasoned, but they trusted and obeyed. They knew that if it was God's guidance, in his time He will show what it means. Someone like me in the process might spoken what was in my mind as well. As if it was not enough, we are later on taken to Joseph who is also a man anchored in God. God warned him through his angel. He simply gets up and moves forward. I do not know what you would have done. But today's feast day leads me to a self assessment. I might have said:'Please Angel, let me sleep a bit longer. Or let me discern a bit longer:'What are you trying to say, Lord? Is this from you? Hey Mary, let us fast and pray...' Communion with the heavenly court was seen as something normal by the faithful. Beautiful! When Heaven intervened, you trusted, and so St Joseph trusted the Angel's counsel was true, since there was no one else around to counsel Him. And so his obedience to the angel saved our good Lord Jesus, thus blessing ustwo thousands years later to bear the name of Christ.

These reflections moved me this year in regards to what the Holy Innocents Martyrs' feast day teaches us. Furthermore, this feast day tells us that we are in profound communion with the Heavenly court, and that we cannot be, do or act here without the Holy Trinity's intervention. This feast day teaches us that Wisdom is truly a gift we owe to pray for in order to think, act and move like the Magi and St Joseph. This feast day show us that God is forever faithful. I mean we tend to forget the forever whenever we are in difficult situations. However, we must remind ourselves that the Heavenly Kingdom that we belong too is ruled by the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the maker of all things that move under the sea. On this feast, we pray for those who suffer in their innocence, and have no one to be a voice for them whether they be children, teens, men and women struggling with addictions and abuses.  On this feast day of the Holy Innocents Martyrs, may we unite ourselves to the nine choirs of Angels, the Saints, the Holy Family in giving thanks to the Holy Trinity for being part of such a rich kingdom. As we continue to reflect on the fruits bestowed on us during this Christmas Season, I wish you a blessed Christmas Season and a holy year 2017.
Holy Innocent Martyrs, pray for us.

Prayerfully Yours,

Fanny Magnificat- author of 'Making Wise History'. To support my creative and writing gifts, click here for your copy.