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89.1
First Point
Today let us honor the innocence of these holy children who had the
privilege of dying before knowing evil and being able to do it. How
fortunate they are, since their lives were consecrated to God at an age
when evil had not yet taken possession of their hearts. They were
snatched out of this world almost as soon as they had entered it, and
this by an altogether special grace to be preserved from the corruption[i]
which is so difficult to escape in society.
We have known the misery of the world, and we know only too well
through our sad experience how rare it is to reserve innocence and purity
of heart there. God has done us the favor of withdrawing us from it; let
us, then, thank him every day for so great a benefit, and make our lives
innocent by seclusion, penance, and the holiness of our actions.
To merit perseverance in so saintly a life, let us be faithful to
all the smallest practices of the community and the smallest point of the
Rule. In this way we shall make up for the injury that the world, which we
have so fortunately left, may have done to our innocence; we shall also
place ourselves in a sort of guaranty of not sinning any more during the
rest of our lives.
89.2
Second Point
These holy children died as martyrs because of the cruelty of an
evil prince who, as a result of that the Magi had told him concerning the
birth of the Messiah,[ii]
feared that one of them might rob him of his crown. Thus he procured for
them the means to live eternally in heaven almost as soon as they had
appeared on this earth. He did them more good, says Saint Augustine, by
the hatred that he showed in putting them to death, than he might have
done for them by all the affection he could have had for them, and by all
the benefits which he could have heaped upon them in this world. They gave
witness to our religion and to the divinity of Jesus Christ not by
speaking, but by laying down their lives in his place.
Having neither the happiness nor the opportunity to suffer
martyrdom for the faith, make martyrs of yourselves for the love of God
through the practice of mortification. A Christian’s life, says Saint
Gregory, ought to be a continual martyrdom, since he is a Christian only
to be conformable to Jesus Christ, who suffered throughout his whole life.
This sort of martyrdom is often more painful than to shed one’s blood,
because it lasts incomparably longer and is consequently all the more
difficult to endure. Encourage yourselves, then, to accept this martyrdom
by the example of the saints and especially the example of Jesus Christ,
for he spent his entire life suffering for love of us.
89.3
Third Point
These little children died not only as martyrs, but also by taking
the place of Jesus Christ. Herod wanted to kill him , and looked for him
everywhere. Not finding him, he resolved to kill a great number of
children, assuring himself[iii]
that Jesus Christ would be included in their number. For he wanted no
exception made among those who had been born since before the time the
Magi had come to Jerusalem up to that moment. Fortunate children, to have
lost their lives in order to preserve the life of Jesus Christ.
We can have the same opportunity as they by giving our lives to
prevent Jesus Christ from dying in us. Sinners, says Saint Paul, crucify
Jesus Christ anew.[iv]
If then we do not want him to lose his life, we must do violence to
ourselves so as not to fall into sin and not commit the slightest fault.
To procure this benefit we, we need great vigilance over ourselves. In
this way, dying daily[v]through
continual mortification, you will give your life in order to avoid
miserable crucifying and putting Jesus Christ to death within yourselves.
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Originally
this feast had a penitential character, as if in mourning for the massacre
of the children. Perhaps this is why De La Salle stresses self-denial and
mortification in his meditation. The feast dates back at least to the 5th
century.
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