The Collect.
O ALMIGHTY God, who out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast ordained strength, and madest infants to glorify thee by their deaths; Mortify and kill all vices in us, and so strengthen us by thy grace, that by the innocency of our lives, and constancy of our faith even unto death, we may glorify thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For the Epistle. Revelation xiv. 1.
I LOOKED, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and
with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his
Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a
voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the
voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers
harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new
song before the throne, and before the four living creatures,
and the elders: and no man could learn that song but
the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were
redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not
defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they
which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These
were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto
God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no
guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
The Gospel. St. Matthew ii. 13.
THE angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream,
saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother,
and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee
word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by
night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the
death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I
called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was
mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent
forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and
in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had diligently enquired of
the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by
Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice
heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted,
because they are not.
Clerical Musings
These major propers remind us of the evil of killing babies, or the pre-born for that matter. It is sad today that we, as Christians, have to defend this moral view that the Church has maintained for hundreds of years. Abortion is not about anything, but killing our young people. The epistle brings us hope and shows that God will redeem these young children but the Gospel shows us one of the great atrocities. A genocide that occurred to keep power in the hands of a false king, much like the genocide in the book of Exodus where Pharaoh killed the firstborn so they did not rise against him.
We read in Exodus 1 that the children of Israel had increased in fact the Hebrew calls to mind the idea of “swarms.” In order to control the Hebrew people, Pharaoh told the midwives to kill all boys and to let girls live. Girls did not pose a threat to Pharaoh but Pharaoh feared losing power. These midwives did not do as Pharaoh had asked and because of that Moses was able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God is the victor at the end of the day, but we cannot allow our children to be slaughtered because of agendas that come from our leaders. The Gospel passage reminds us of the fact that these “false” kings do these ungodly acts to maintain their own power. Our children are the ones who suffer. Children that are not old enough to make their own decisons, develop consciences, or even to be guided. They are being sacrificed at the altar of false deities.We know that sometimes we go astray, but this is not a political issue. It is a life issue.
Catholic Moral Teaching teaches us that all life is sacred from conception to the moment we die. Abortion is not something new, and our world wants to convince us that it is ok but it is done safely or it is done to a certain point in a pregnancy. I am reminded of what the pslamist says about us not putting faith in earthy princes. Killing a child humanely is still killing a child. The intention is to kill the child, and so the blood in on our hands. May God forgive us from our sins.
Are we so different today? Children are murdered to keep power in the hands of certain people and it is done with reasons that sound noble. These children are martyrs of the faith and we rejoice that their souls will be redeemed but there is still blood on our hands for allowing great atrocities.
What can we do today? I would like to ask, first, that you pray with me today that we might see an end to abortion in our nation and throughout the world. Then, I would like for you to think about how this is not a political or social issue but it is a life issue. We face one of the greatest genocides that happens every day in our own towns, cities, states, countries. This is not meant to be a political speech, but we must not stand by and let our children die. Those of you who have children know that one of the most special moments is when you first hold that child in your arms. The moment you know that you would give your life for that child. There are many parents that never have that opportunity, many children that never get to breathe that first breath. I would ask that you ask God about how you may play a part in saving our children. God bless you all in helping our children!
In Christ,
Fr. Brandon Cribbs
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