Pray to Stop Abortion
Brother John Raymond
On December 28th we commemorate the death of the Holy Innocents.
Sacred Scripture tells us that the Magi from the East asked King Herod
where the Messiah was to be born. Herod was surprised at this news. Herod
said he knew of no such Messiah's birth. Fearing a future rival to his
throne Herod lied to the Magi. He told them that if they found the Messiah
to bring him the news so that he too could worship Him. His real intention
was to kill Him. The Magi went to Bethlehem and found Jesus. They were
warned by an Angel not to return to Herod with the news. Eventually Herod
realized he had been outsmarted by the Magi. In his anger he ordered all
baby boys of two years old or younger in Bethlehem to be killed in
Bethlehem.
"The massacre of the Innocents that started in Bethlehem has spread
all over the world today." says Caryll Houselander. She goes on to say
"when the Herods of our day want to drive Christ out of a country, it is
the children who become their objective. Either they seek to destroy
Christ in the children, or to drive the children out." Caryll Houselander
was writing this just after World War II and is referring to the Nazis and
Communists. Yet these statements could be applied just as easily to the
abortion issue of our day. Are we not facing Herod again as pre-born
children are slaughtered? Or is it, perhaps, Satan? I think it is. Satan's
rage includes the destruction of innocent life. His malice toward humanity
is so vast that he's pleased with the widespread killing of God's precious
children. But he is even more pleased with the, socially-accepted sin of
abortion!
But God cannot be defeated no matter how hard Satan tries. The
children he killed in Bethlehem are now honored by the Church as martyrs.
These little Jewish boys, sacrificed for Christ, now are glorious martyrs
in Heaven. The aborted children are the Holy Innocents of today. They are
the innocent victims of Satan's hatred for Christ. They are martyrs of
innocence, baptized in their own blood. Let us pray for the end of this
great evil soon by invoking the intercession of the Holy Innocents both
past and present.
Poem
King Herod in a jealous rage
to kill Our Savior set the stage
for the slaughter of innocent babes
to safeguard the power he madly craved.
"No more children." Rachel mourned.
Little gifts of life cruelly scorned.
An Infant God escaped that day.
But now more babes each day pay.
"They are not persons" we hear them say
and so their mothers anytime may
play the game Herod's way.
"You are an obstacle babe in the womb."
"You must be destroyed adopt your tomb."
Despite man's deeds Our Savior still lives.
To the baby victims eternal life He will give.
There is time to change hearts of stone.
Turn around and face God's throne.
Forgiveness seek. His love repay
by saving babies everyday.
No more Herods do we need.
God's Word and Power we must heed.
By Irene Gilmary, Pro-life Worker
Prayer
Father in Heaven, we thank You for the gift of life. Grant that
all mothers who give birth will welcome their babies with love, but if
the mothers feel they are unable to raise their babies, grant that they
may be compassionate toward the life You have given and not destroy it
before birth. To those children who have been wantonly deprived of earthly
life grant whatever happiness to which they are entitled. And to the
mothers who have denied them life in this world grant Your merciful grace
of repentance and reconciliation with Our Savior, so that they may obtain
eternal life. Grant also the grace of conversion to those who perform
abortions and anyone associated with abortion.
Mary, Mother of God, intercede for us.
Holy Innocents, pray for us. Amen.
(From the Pro-life Office of the Diocese of Worcester, Mass.)