Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Di Holy Innocent Pikin Dem, Martyrs—Feast
Day Four of di Christmas Octave
Readings for Today
Listen for English
When Herod realise say di magi don deceive am, e vex well-well. E order make dem kill all di boy pikin dem for Bethlehem and di places wey surround am, wey be two years old or younger, according to di time wey e don find out from di magi. Matthew 2:16
Today, for di fourth day of di Octave of Christmas, we receive testimony wey resemble di one wey we receive on December 26, di Feast of di Martyrdom of St. Stephen. But today feast show us di same evil for another way wey even carry more sorrow. For here, because of jealousy and hatred, Herod make dem kill innocent pikin dem wey person no fit count, as e try to destroy Jesus, di King wey dem just born.
We fit only imagine di sorrow wey go don fill di town of Bethlehem and di places wey surround am, as di soldiers dey move around dey kill those innocent pikin dem while their papa and mama dey watch, without power to help dem. For one side, e dey shock us to know say God allow this thing happen. For di other side, with deep faith, we must try to understand di testimony wey these innocent pikin dem give.
Even though this na crime and evil wey too terrible to describe, when we look am from di side of eternity, God go settle am. For Heaven and forever, these innocent ones wey dem kill go wear di crown of martyrs, and di angels and saints go honour dem as di first witnesses to di King wey dem just born. Even though this one fit no don reduce di pain for that time, e go surely change di pain wey those families feel when dem enter di justice of Heaven.
Their testimony show us plenty things about our own lives. E show say plenty times dey for life when things no fair at all and justice no dey. Di killing of all these innocent pikin dem remind us strongly of this truth. But one thing we must hold on to be say God go put every wrong right for di end. Today, we dey celebrate one solemn feast to honour these pikin dem, as one way to talk say God don turn this tragedy into something glorious.
Na so e still be for each one of us. No matter wetin your “tragedy” be, know say di Son of God enter our world and take our human nature wey don fall, so that E fit put everything right.
Today, think deeply about wetin dey pain you pass for this Christmas season. No matter wetin e be, dem dey invite you today to join your hurt and pain with di sorrow of di families wey lose these small pikin dem. Let God do for you wetin E do for all of dem for di end. Let His Incarnation, death and Resurrection change your hurt into di crown of martyrdom. For di end, di Lord go win for your life if you allow Am.
Lord, I hand over all di hurt, pain and confusion to You. Today, I join myself to di sorrow of di people wey lose these small pikin dem, and I trust say their lives, as dem dey reign now for Heaven with You, na sign for me of wetin go come. Your birth into our world na di greatest sign say You na our Saviour and say You fit turn everything to good. Jesus, I put my life for Your hand, and I know say You go put every wrong thing right. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Feast for Today – Di Holy Innocent Pikin Dem, Martyrs
See also – Suffering wey We Share
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