‘Holy Innocents’ –Image Courtesy: The Balanced Center
(Franciscan Media) King of Judea ‘Herod the Great’ was unpopular with people because of his connections with the Romans and his religious indifference, hence he was insecure and fearful of any threat to his throne–a master politician and a tyrant, capable of extreme brutality, he killed his wife, his brother and his sister’s two husbands to name only a few.
Matthew 2:1-18 tells the story: Herod was (greatly) troubled when astrologers from the East came asking the whereabouts of the newborn King of the Jews, whose Star they had seen–they were told that the Jewish scriptures named Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be born. Herod cunningly told them to report back to him so that he too could go and pay homage. They found Jesus, offered Him their gifts and warned by an angel, they avoided Herod on their way back home–Joseph and Mary subsequently escaped with Jesus to Egypt.
King Herod became furious and ordered the massacre of all boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity 2 yrs of age and younger–The horror of the massacre and the devastation of the Mother’s and Fathers led Matthew to quote Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children–refused to be consoled because they were no more.” —Matthew 2:18
Rachel was the wife of Jacob/Israel, is pictured as weeping at the place where Jews (descendants of Jacob) were herded together by a conquering Assyrians for their march into captivity.
More here on the ‘Holy Innocents’ from EWTN
Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More Visit – USCCB