He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem

28 DICEMBRE (Mt 2,13-18)

Truly the evil and wickedness of man knows no bounds. The most horrendous evil is the indirect one. You hit an innocent to rage against a third person, or you eliminate a helpless person on the grounds of high political diplomacy. If already spilled blood cries out for vengeance before God, this kind of bloodshed maliciously spread with calculated, weighed, studied wickedness, for eternity will shout its innocence before the Lord. These killings have always marked the history of mankind and still mark it.

Then a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt. He said to his subjects, “Look how numerous and powerful the Israelite people are growing, more so than we ourselves! Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase; otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies to fight against us, and so leave our country.” Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. Thus they had to build for Pharaoh the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses. Yet the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread. The Egyptians, then, dreaded the Israelites and reduced them to cruel slavery, making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick and all kinds of field work – the whole cruel fate of slaves. The king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shiphrah and the other Puah, When you act as midwives for the Hebrew women and see them giving birth, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she may live.” The midwives, however, feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt had ordered them, but let the boys live. So the king summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you acted thus, allowing the boys to live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are robust and give birth before the midwife arrives.” Therefore God dealt well with the midwives. The people, too, increased and grew strong. And because the midwives feared God, he built up families for them. Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects, “Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews, but you may let all the girls live.” (Ex 1,8-22).

Today, the direct and indirect violence of innocents has many names. It is called: abortion, collateral damage, tribal war, mass murder, revenge and indirect blood feud. Other names are more scientific: the morning after pill and things like that. Scripture knows other ways of indirect murder. These are also invisible and sophisticated.

Tainted his gifts who offers in sacrifice ill-gotten goods! Mock presents from the lawless win not God’s favor. The Most High approves not the gifts of the godless, nor for their many sacrifices does he forgive their sins. Like the man who slays a son in his father’s presence is he who offers sacrifice from the possessions of the poor. The bread of charity is life itself for the needy; he who withholds it is a man of blood. He slays his neighbor who deprives him of his living: he sheds blood who denies the laborer his wages. (Sir 34, 18-22).
This whole world of evil caused on innocent attests to our barbarity and the power of sin that plays in our members. The mystery of iniquity surrounds us and consumes us. Only Christ can free and save us from this mystery of perversion.

When they 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, 7 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.”

On the path of Jesus his Father watches over. Today, Jesus cannot die. Salvation is accomplished through his sacrifice and to be his death a true sacrifice needs his obedience. The gift of his will is needed. The innocent blood is shed, because history will always obey the sad law of sin and death.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints save us from all evil.