Today, we honour the Holy Innocent Martyrs who not only died for Christ but instead of Christ! Herod murdered male children around two years old in hopes of killing the Christ child. In today's feast, the Church also honours all who die in a state of innocence and consoles parents of dead children with the conviction that these also will share the glory of the infant companions of Jesus.

The saddest part of today's feast is that Herod's slaughter was not an isolated case. Throughout history in cultures around the globe, children have been sacrificed, slaughtered, abused, starved, and destroyed. These innocent and weak children are left to the decisions of more powerful and controlling adults walking in darkness. The darkness prevails and seems overwhelming at times.

Nevertheless, today's reading from 1John gives hope for a world that seems surrounded by darkness. Yet, hope fills us because there is light in the world that brightens the darkness. With the light of Christ, we can bring sparks of light into the world through our small daily acts of love, truth, and justice shared with family, friends and strangers. We can't undo the horrors of yesterday, but we can bring the light of Christ into the world today. The world needs us to bring God's love, hope and light into every situation we encounter.