The power of convenience
He became furious and ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem (Mt 2: 16)
When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him." Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called my son. When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more. (Mt 2: 16)
Herod personifies the powerful human being who sees his role only as having dominion over his subjects who are at his pleasure, rather than seeing himself as at their service and defense. This makes him a ruthless man who does not stop himself, even before the most weak and defenseless. Unfortunately, it seems that two thousand years have passed in vain: the power of convenience, of money, and of the easiest choice still leads too many hearts to attack the life and innocence of babies, even from the first moment of their presence in the womb. Lord, we pray that you may touch the hearts of those may be about to carry out another massacre of the innocents even today.
