REFLECTION/HOMILY ON THE FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS 28TH DECEMBER 2023

HOMILY ON THE FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS

1John 1:5-2:2; Ps.124; Matthew 2:13-18

The Consequence of Divine Connection

Today, the Church honours the memory of the little children who were massacred by the order of King Herod. The existence of the new-born king threatened King Herod when he learnt of it from the Magi. He did not understand that Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world; so he thought that the earlier he eliminated this new-born king, the better. Unable to locate the particular child, he ordered that all male children under the angel of age in the town of Bethlehem and its environs be slaughtered. He was not able to kill the new-born king, but he was able to kill many babies.

These babies are innocent on account of their age and on the fact that they did nothing to warrant their death. Their death was as a result of the relationship they had with Jesus. First, only male children were killed because Jesus was male; second, only those under the age of two were killed because that was the calculated age range of Jesus as at that time; third, only the male children *in the town of Bethlehem* and its environs were killed because that was the place Jesus was born too.

Does this say anything to us? It surely does! So long as we are connected with Jesus, we will always face oppression and opposition. It is our connection with God that is our offence. This answers the question of why does bad thing happen to good people. But then, those who suffer on account of their faith, are never victims of circumstances because God is always there to give them victories especially the grace of eternal life. To have eternal life is to be most privilege.

Inspite of all of Herod’s effort, he was not able to kill Jesus because the heart of a king is in the hands of the Lord. Before Herod could conclude on his plan, the Lord warned Joseph in a dream to take Mary and the Child and flee to Egypt. Beloved, God never quits his business of saving us. If he ever allows any harm to touch us, it is because he has chosen to proof his saving power to us in a deeper way. Trust God at all times because he is able to make good out of every evil.