Feast of the Holy Innocents

Massacre of the Holy Innocents

1 John 1:5-2:2
Psalm 124:2-5, 7-8 (DR 123)
Matthew 2:13-18

DR	NABRE
1 John5 And this is the declaration which we have heard from him, and declare unto you: That God is light, and in him there is no darkness. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he also is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins,   he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all   iniquity. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.	5 Now this is the message that we have heard from   him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in   truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive   ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. (This is not exactly the same thing. Why even make this particular change?) 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a   liar, and his word is not in us. 1 My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
Psalm2 If it had not been that the Lord was with us, When men rose up against us, 3 Perhaps they had swallowed us up alive. When their fury was enkindled against us, 4 Perhaps the waters had swallowed us up. 5 Our soul hath passed through a torrent: perhaps our soul had passed through a water insupportable. 7 Our soul hath been delivered as a sparrow out of the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken, and we are delivered. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.	2 Had not the LORD been with us, when people rose against us, 3 Then they would have swallowed us alive, for their fury blazed against us. 4 Then the waters would have engulfed us, the torrent overwhelmed us; 5 then seething water would have drowned us. 7 We escaped with our lives like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare was broken, and we escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.
Matthew13 And after they were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him. 14 Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod: 15 That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my son. 16 Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry; and sending killed all the men children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under,   according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: 18 A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.	13 When they 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.” 14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. 15 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.” 16 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. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: 18 “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.”

The Coventry Carol