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Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs
The third day after Christmas, 28 December, is celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Here is a small reflection on the day. The Holy Innocents are the children mentioned in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 2:16-18. Herod, perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent his soldiers to kill all male children ages two and under that were in Bethlehem and on the boarders, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled the prophesy of Jeremiah: A voice in Rama was heard, of lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailed her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not. The Greek Liturgy asserts that Herod killed 14,000 boys, the Syrians speak of 64,000, and many medieval authors speak of 144,000, according to Rev. 14:3. Modern writers reduce the number considerably, since Bethlehem was a rather small town. It is impossible to determine the day or the year of the death of the Holy Innocents, since the chronology of the birth of Christ and the subsequent Biblical events is most uncertain. All we know is that the infants were slaughtered within two years following the apparition of the star to the Wise Men (Belser, in the Tubingen “Quartalschrift,” 1890, p. 361). The Church venerates these children as martyrs (flores martyrum); they are the first buds of the Church killed by the frost of persecution; they died not only for Christ, but in his stead (St. Aug., “Sermo 10us de sanctis”). The Latin Church instituted the feast of the Holy Innocents at a date now unknown, not before the end of the fourth, and not later than the end of the fifth century. The Roman Station of December 28 is at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, because that church is believed to possess the bodies of several of the Holy Innocents. A portion of these relics was transferred by Sixtus V to Santa Maria Maggiore. The church of St. Justina at Padua, the cathedrals of Lisbon and Milan, and other churches also preserve bodies which they claim to be those of some of the Holy Innocents. Reflect, today, upon the will of God for your life. In what ways is God calling you to be like Saint Joseph and protect the most innocent and most vulnerable? How are you being called to be a guardian of those entrusted to your care? Certainly on a civil level we must all work to protect the lives of those who are unborn. But every parent, grandparent and all those entrusted with responsibility for another must strive to protect those in their care in countless other ways. We must diligently work to preserve them from the evils in our world and the numerous attacks of the evil one on their lives. Ponder this question today and allow the Lord to speak to you of your duty to imitate the great protector, Saint Joseph. Lord, give me insight, wisdom and strength so that I can work in accord with Your will to protect the most innocent from the evils of this world. May I never cower in the face of evil, and may I always fulfill my duty to protect those entrusted to my care. Saint Joseph, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in...
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‘Giving up is not an option for a missionary’ Bishop George on his Ruby Jubilee
Miao, 20 December 2022: Giving up is not an option for a missionary said Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao diocese in Arunachal Pradesh celebrating his Ruby Jubilee of Priestly Ordination here on 19 December 2022. As a missionary, making others live gives meaning to one’s life, said the missionary Bishop who became a priest on 1982 and since then has been serving mostly in eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh. Addressing his friends and past pupils who came from different parts of North East India, Bishop George said, “In our efforts to make others live, we will encounter challenges of all kinds but the moment we give up we lose the meaning of our life as a missionary”. Recalling his initial days of his work among the youth of Arunachal Pradesh, Bishop George said, “When I first visited Arunachal Pradesh in 1980 I was kept under detention for 18 hours. I did not know then the church will grow to be what it is today”. Among many collaborates of the Salesian prelate present was Father Mathew Pulingathil, the first Rector who received and groomed the young boy George for the Arunachal Mission among the youth. Recollecting how the Salesian congregation entrusted the responsibility of guiding Arunachal youth with Deacon George at Bosco Bible School (BBS) in Tinsukia, Father Pulingathil said, “I believe that decision was not mine but God’s. I say this having seen the result of what has been achieved”. Appreciating Bishop George, Father Pulingathil said, “The story of Bishop George is an example of hardwork, commitment and sacrifice and seeing his faithfulness God made him responsible for a greater mission, a whole diocese. Father Alex Pulimoottil, one of the first companions of Bishop George, who travelled together from Kerala to North East India some 50 years ago, said, “George always stood out among us. His capacity and calibre were noticeable from the initial days of our formation period itself. He was always focussed and drawn towards the people of Arunachal Pradesh”. At the felicitation ceremony after the solemn Holy Mass, students from Kristu Jyothi Minor Seminary, Miao and Newman School Neotan sang felicitation hymns. “We can never thank our Bishop George fully for who has been to us”, said Yangli Homtok, a past pupil from BBS. “We are who we are because of Bishop George”. Father K.O Sebastian, Principal, Don Bosco College, Maram, Manipur and catechists Chomjung Mossang and Jiten Dai too thanked Bishop George for his contribution to the people of East Arunachal Pradesh for 40 years as a priest and 17 years as a Bishop. “We cannot fight every enemy but we can keep doing what we must with help of God to make people live. Even in the face of all the challenges I envision a Church that is alive and active because giving up is not an option for a missionary,” said Bishop...
read moreMeaning of All Souls Day
All Souls Day is a holy day set aside for honoring the dead. The day is primarily celebrated in the Catholic Church, but it is also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and a few other denominations of Christianity. The Anglican church is the largest protestant church to celebrate the holy day. Most protestant denominations do not recognize the holiday and disagree with the theology behind it. According to Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies can go to one of three places. The first is heaven, where a person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion with God goes. The second is hell, where those who die in a state of mortal sin are naturally condemned by their choice. The intermediate option is purgatory, which is thought to be where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, must go. Purgatory is necessary so that souls can be cleansed and perfected before they enter into heaven. There is scriptural basis for this belief. The primary reference is in 2 Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32. “Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out… Thus made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin.” Additional references are found in Zechariah, Sirach, and the Gospel of Matthew. Jewish tradition also reinforces this belief as well as the tradition and teaching of the Church, which has been affirmed throughout history. Consistent with these teachings and traditions, Catholics believe that through the prayers of the faithful on Earth, the dead are cleansed of their sins so they may enter into heaven. The belief in purgatory has not been without controversy. Certainly, some flagrant abuses of the doctrine were used to raise money for the Church during the renaissance. Famously, Martin Luther argued with the monk, Johan Tetzel, over the sale of indulgences. Indulgences were sold as spiritual pardons to the poor and applied to the souls of the dead (or the living) to get people into heaven. The abuse of indulgences and the blatant, sometimes fraudulent practice of selling indulgences for money, led to Luther’s protest. When Martin Luther translated the Bible into German, he omitted the seven books of the canon which refer to prayers for the dead. He then introduced the heretical belief that people are simply saved, or not, and argued that there is no need to pray for the dead to get them into heaven. The Church reeled from Luther’s accusation, and reformed its practice of selling indulgences. However, it reemphasized the Biblical and traditional practice of praying for the departed and the importance of such prayers. All Souls Day is celebrated in much of the western world on November 2. Other rites have their own celebrations. The Eastern Orthodox Church has several such days throughout the year, mostly on Saturdays. All Souls Day is not a holy day of obligation. It should not be confused with All Saints’ Day, which is a holy day of obligation. Many cultures also mark the day differently. In North America, Americans may say extra prayers or light candles for the departed. In parts of Latin America, families visit the graves of their ancestors and sometimes leave food offerings for the...
read moreWhat is All Saints Day
All Saints’ Day is a Christian solemnity, or dignified remembrance, that celebrates the honor of all church saints, whether known or unknown. There’s a yearly reminder of our connectedness as Christians to the church. It’s called “All Saints Day” and is commemorated every November 1st. Perhaps, you were taught to think of saints as statues in a church building. But the Bible teaches something completely different. Who is a saint? You are. That is, if you’re a follower of Jesus. God calls a “saint” those who trust in Christ alone for salvation (see Acts 9:13, Acts 26:10, Romans 8:27, 1 Corinthians 1:2). All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, or Hallowmas, is a Christian celebration in honor of all the saints from Christian history. In Western Christianity, it is observed on November 1st by the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church, and other Protestant denominations. The Eastern Orthodox Church and associated Eastern Catholic churches observe All Saints Day on the first Sunday following Pentecost. The Christian festival of All Saints Day comes from a conviction that there is a spiritual connection between those in Heaven and on Earth. In Catholic tradition, the holiday honors all those who have passed on to the Kingdom of Heaven. It is a national holiday in numerous historically Catholic countries. In Methodist tradition, All Saints Day relates to giving God earnest gratitude for the lives and deaths of his saints, remembering those who were well-known and not. Additionally, individuals throughout Christian history are celebrated, such as Peter the Apostle and Charles Wesley, as well as people who have personally guided one to faith in Jesus, such as one’s relative or friend. In addition to weekly worship gatherings, “All Saints Day” annually reminds us of our connectedness as Christians. It’s commemorated every November 1st. Perhaps, you were taught to think of saints as statues in a church building. But the Bible teaches something completely different. Who is a saint? You are. That is if you’re a follower of Jesus. God calls a “saint” anyone who trusts in Christ alone for salvation. Sainthood isn’t given by a group of religious leaders. It’s granted by God Himself to any common, salt-of-the-earth person who simply trusts Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2). Words matter. And sowing confusion about good, biblical words like “saint” is not from God. The gospel message is that God the Son came to earth, lived a perfectly obedient life, died on the cross to pay for our sins (Romans 5:1), and rose again, proving His atoning work was complete (Romans 4:22-25). Saints are those who give up the anti-faith alternative of trying to please God by their good deeds and, instead, trust Christ alone. Scripture says that the person of faith actually becomes the very righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)! Through the channel of human faith (the means of salvation), we become united to Christ (the source of salvation), and we are saved from God’s judgment as well as from the futile way of life that we naturally follow (1 Peter 3:18). In other words, we are granted sainthood! Skeptical? Think about this: if God calls the worldly, sinning believers in Corinth “saints”—and He does in 1 Corinthians 1:2—couldn’t He call you a saint as well? Friend, anyone who trusts in Christ alone for salvation is a saint in God’s sight. The Origin and History of All Saints Day In the...
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