This is the movement of the Holy Family.

Welcome to our daily rosary meditation.

In just a couple of days, on January the 1st, we will consecrate ourselves to marry the mother of God.

Let's begin in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

Today is the feast of the holy innocence.

All those little children that were killed by King Herod in the region of Bethlehem as he sought

to destroy the Christ.

One of the tragic themes of the Old Testament, a theme which a lot of people don't know about,

is the theme of child murder.

Over and over again, when the influence of the pagans began to infect the chosen people,

they would begin to sacrifice their infants to idols. The false idol most associated with this abominable practice was Moloch.

I've seen a statue to Moloch in an archaeological dig in Israel, and it was frightening.

But as the history of the Israelites unfolds, they are repeatedly susceptible to worship these demon gods.

In fact, when the kingdom of Israel splits into two kingdoms, both kingdoms end up being conquered and exiled.

And in the case of both kingdoms, the prophets explained that part of the reason for their exile is the fact that both kingdoms are engaging in baby murder.

So when Herod orders the slaughter of an entire population of little children, it's nothing new in the Bible. It's nothing new in the

sometimes wretched history of humanity. The attack on children, the disregard of the life of children, is ordinary.

It is only the coming of Christ, the infant, that causes the world to realize the true beauty and goodness of children, and the horror of abusing or destroying them.

Our father who art in heaven,

hallow it be your name.

Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

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