Holy Innocents

“When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.” (Matthew 2:18)

December 28th…the Feast of the Holy Innocents. It’s a day the early church recognized those infants slaughtered by Herod. We can sit back in our cozy homes and shake our heads at the barbaric nature of this ancient king of Judea. But lest we get too comfortable, there are verses that apply to us as well.

“Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
If you say, ‘but we knew nothing about this,’
Does not He who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not He who guards your life know it?
Will He not repay each person according to what He has done?” (Proverbs 24:10-12)

How many abortions are performed in the US in any given year? In any given day?

Is this an individual woman’s decision, her body being her own domain? Or does God see that unborn child as created in His image, a life much more precious than a sparrow’s?

Do we have a responsibility? Will God hold us accountable?