Friday, December 28, 2018

bloody Christmas is happy Chrsitmas

Homily
4th Day in the Octave of Christmas IC
Feast of the Holy Innocents
28 December 2018
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas

Have yourself a bloody little Christmas!  First the martyrdom of Stephen, on day 2.  Next, the blood-curdling screams of the holy innocents on day 4.  So much for silent night, all is calm, all is bright. 

Is the Church trying to steal our Christmas joy?  Hardly.  For us, a bloody Christmas is always a happy Christmas.  Celebrating martyrdom during Christmas highlights an ultimate reason that Christ was born.  Christ was born to die.  He was born to transform death to victory.  So today is a preeminent and glorious feast of victory, the triumph of the holy innocents who died not only first for Christ but uniquely in his stead.

So too we disciples of Jesus are born to die, and this is part of the happy Christmas message.  Our joy is lessened if we instead fear and kill like Herod.  We are like him whenever we kill those who threaten our control.

Children are the key to Christmas - welcoming children and remaining like children - this is the Christmas and the Christian story.  Our stories gain strength through relationship, not fear.  So let's heed the Christmas message of the angels - do not be afraid of this baby!




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