The Holy Innocents, Martyrs (Childermas)

It is because Herod believed the words of the Magi and of the high priests whom he consulted that he sees a rival in the Infant of Bethlehem and with jealousy pursues the Child, born King of the Jews. It is this God-King that the Innocents by dying confess. Their passion is the exaltation of Christ.

We learned an interesting fact from a cool site called Fish Eaters (thanks to Papou for telling us about this site). The II class feasts that follow Christmas each have something to teach us about martyrdom. St. Stephen is the first and greatest example of one who is a martyr both in will and in deed, St. John is the greatest example of one who is a martyr in will but not in deed, and the Holy Innocents are the greatest example of martyrs in deed but not in will. In other words, St. Stephen voluntarily accepted martyrdom and was killed, St. John accepted martyrdom but was not killed (not for lack of effort on the part of his persecutors!), and the Holy Innocents were killed without their voluntary acceptance of the martyrdom.

We also learned from the same source that a Catholic custom for keeping the Feast of the Holy Innocents is to eat something with a red sauce (like ice cream with raspberry sauce) in order to commemorate their innocent blood shed for Christ. Today, remember to pray for all those infants, born or unborn, who have died before being baptized.

Thank you to Dan Hilker for the Riesling from Luxemburg! It was excellent.

Today's Vespers hymn is truly beautiful:

Flowers of Martyrdom, all hail! * Smitten by the tyrant foe * On life's threshold, as the gale * Strews the roses ere they blow.

First to bleed for Christ, sweet Lambs! * What a simple death ye died! * Sporting with your wreaths and palms, * At the very altar side.

Honor, glory, virtue, merit * Be to Thee, O Virgin's Son! * With the Father, and the Spirit * While eternal ages run. Amen.

V. Under the throne of God, all the Saints cry:

R. Avenge our blood, O our God.