Today's Thoughts...

Today’s Thoughts: Today is the feast of the Holy Innocents. It has special meaning for me because when I took my vows as a Passionist my title was Paul Raymond of the Holy Innocents. I took the Holy Innocents as my title, because before entering the Passionists I worked as a social worker and my responsibilities were abused and neglected children. I also worked with hard to place adoptive children. So, when I entered the Passionists I wanted to honor children particularly those often forgotten by or unwanted by the world. I thought what better way to honor and to remember the children I served, worked with and encountered by placing them and myself under the protection of the Holy Innocents.
 
There is not a day goes by that I don’t pause to remember many of the children that I encounter in my work. I often wonder what happened to them. Many of them were wonderful children who just need a chance to break the cycle of abuse and neglect. They were children with gifts who often didn’t get the chance to realize those gifts because of decisions that adults had made. I continue to commend them and children around the world to the care and protect of the Holy Innocents.
 
Recently, I also began to include in my prayers each day the children who have been abuse by a member of the Church. Like the children I work with many years ago those abused by a member of the Church are members of the Holy Innocents of our time. Children forgot, child who have had their childhood taken from them.
 
Herod did what he did many centuries ago out of fear. Fear that the Christ Child would change things, things that he was trying to control. Power, the future, the living of life. Children for Herod were disposable. Herod’s way of looking at life continues today. We still fear children because they will change the life we have planned. Like Herod we forget that we are not in control God is!
 
The Holy Innocents are martyrs and saints. Spirit of God who cares for those often not cared for or forgotten. Through the celebration of their feast today and through their always present spirits may we come to value the gift of children and the gift of life.
 
Blessings upon all expectant mothers and upon all children today! Have a great Friday everyone.