Homily
4th Day in the Octave of Christmas
28 December 2023
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas
AMDG
Why such a bloody Christmas? Isn't is supposed to be Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright? The lovely carol notwithstanding, the Christmas message was not just proclaimed gloriously by the angels on high. It was made known as well by blood-curdling screams as the Holy Infants too gave witness to the presence of the newborn King.
Jesus was born to shed his blood for us, and to die. That's a fact, not only for Him, but as predicted, so too for his disciples. For those in our world who do not belong to Christ, who perceive Him as a threat to privacy, choice and control, will try to cancel Him, and anyone who belongs to Him. Terribly, this has always been true. The sacred dignity of children was elevated through the appearance of God as a helpless baby. So those who kill innocent, vulnerable, children even today are those who have rejected the Christmas message.
Yet we rejoice on this bloody Christmas day, for Jesus through the shedding of his blood manifested a love stronger than death. To God who is love, all are alive, most especially these Holy Innocents who testified to the real presence of the love of God, by being the only martyrs who died in Christ's stead.
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