The killing of the infants shows the pathological state of Herod's mind. He also killed several members of his own family including his wife and a son, yet rigidly kept Jewish dietary laws, such as not eating pork. This provoked a Roman emperor to joke: "I'd rather be Herod's pig than his son."
Ancient Jewish records say that in the final days of Herod's life, he ordered leading citizens from towns in Judea to be killed. His sick mind reasoned that the sorrow at their deaths would offset the joy at his death. The order was never carried out.
In today's Gospel, Matthew says that the slaughter of the Innocents was in fulfillment of a saying of the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and weeping bitterly; it is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more." The very next verse is this: "The Lord says, stop your lamenting, dry your eyes, for the Lord is creating something new on earth." And this is the Christmas message: "Stop your lamenting, dry your eyes, for the Lord is creating something new on earth." The Flight into Egypt and the massacre of the Holy Innocents foreshadows the Passion of Christ. Soldiers will come to crucify him. Mary, His mother will weep like Rachel.
We do not have to be subjected to the Herods of this world any longer. They may have power to commit atrocities but they cannot rule over us any longer. We have a new king, a legitimate king, and he will rule in our hearts. He is not a tyrant who forces his will on his subjects, but gently asks our cooperation in everything he wants to have executed in our lives. He is gentle and humble of heart and he asks us to learn from him gentleness and humility. Let’s offer our hearts to the Lord to be born in our hearts and rule in it.
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