Skip to main content

The Holy Innocents

The Holy Innocents: Feast Day Dec. 28th

Today we remember and celebrate those who were the first to die in Christ’s place—the Jewish baby boys of Bethlehem—the Holy Innocents. Our parish priest wrote a beautiful article about candle making and why the church uses beeswax candles. He said candles are a symbol of life giving sacrifice, feeding the light through their burning, and that bees are also a symbol of sacrifice since they spend their whole lives working to care for the queen so the hive can survive. Since the Jewish people use candles for Hanukkah and we as Catholics use candles at Advent, I thought today would be fitting to celebrate today’s feast day with a focus on light. 

Celebrating Though Food:

Today, make the traditional Jewish Sabbath bread, Challah. Allrecipes has an easy recipe. Get the whole family together baking, and as you bake, talk about how Bethlehem means “House of Bread” and how the word for manger derives from the Latin word “manducare”meaning “to chew/devour.” Jesus was born in the House of Bread and laid in a manger foreshadowing that we would eat Him in the Holy Eucharist. How awesome is that! I know when I heard our parish priest explain this during a homily I found it AMAZING!



Celebrating Though Crafts:

Since the Holy Innocents died in place of baby Jesus, “the light of the world,” make homemade beeswax Advent candles to be used for next year. Next year, when you use these candles at Advent, you and your family can remember that Jesus is “the light of the world,” that the first people to receive this light were our Jewish brothers and sisters, and that the first to lose their lives for Christ were the Holy Innocents. You can make making Advent candles for the next year a family tradition every year on today’s feast day. You can purchase a Jewish Hanukkah beeswax candle making kit, like the one my family used, directly from the shop “Traditions—Jewish Gifts” or via Amazon. 




(These are larger candles we made in 2021 and they burn a lot longer) 

Another craft you can make is a “Star of David” ornament. Each year when you hang it on your Christmas tree, you can be reminded of The Holy Innocents and our connection with our Jewish brothers and sisters. Stars also emit light, and Jesus “the light of the world” was first seen by the Jewish people. The website, “Instructables,” has a great popsicle stick Star of David ornament craft you and your family can make.


I hope you and your family have a blessed day today celebrating The Holy Innocents. Sweet Holy Innocents, precious and pure, pray for us! 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saint Teresa of Avila

Saint Teresa of Avila: Feast Day October 15th (My rendition of François Gérard’s painting “Teresa of Ávila”  1827) "Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing make you afraid. All things are passing. God alone never changes. Patience gains all things. If you have God, you will want for nothing. God alone suffices.”  It's been a while since I've written a blog post, and as I reflect upon the words of Saint Teresa of Avila's "Serenity Prayer" above, I cannot help but find comfort in them. Living in a time when everything in the world seems to be turned upside down, and logic and truth abandoned, the wisdom of Saint Teresa offers hope, consolation, and peace.  Teresa of Avila lived in a time similar to our own. Born in the 16th century, she witnessed a world that contained globalism, political conflicts, and religious tensions following the Protestant Reformation. Yet during this turmoil, she trusted in God. She lived a life of contemplation, excelled in writing and p...
Post a Comment
Read more

All Saints & All Souls Day

All Saints & All Souls Day: Nov. 1st & 2nd Have you ever thought about being a saint? As Catholics, we believe that we are ALL called to a life of universal holiness and striving for sanctification. When I read the book, Rediscover the Saints,  by Matthew Kelly, I was struck by one of the questions he posed. In his book, Kelly asked how many times do you pray that your children become saints? Wow! What a wonderful prayer! Since reading this, I have made it a point to pray to the Lord that if it be His will, please let me children be saints in His eyes. Prayer is so important; and as parents, asking the Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph, and of course the Lord Himself, to help you raise your children and help them have a faith that grows and grows in love and devotion for the Lord all the days of their lives and become saints in His eyes, I believe is one of the greatest blessings and most wonderful things we as parents can do for our children. The day after Halloween—All Hallows...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception: Dec. 8th  As a kid, I used to think that today’s feast day referred to Jesus’ conception, but as I got older and started listening more to the homilies at Mass, I learned that the Immaculate Conception actually refers to when the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin. It totally makes sense if you think about it. Mary was the first tabernacle (house) for Christ when he was in her womb, and in order to hold He who was sinless and pure love, then she too must be sinless. Today, we celebrate how God loved Mary so much that he saved her from original sin because he knew she would say “yes” to being the mother of his son, and “yes” to being a part of his divine plan for salvation.  Celebrating Through Food:  For breakfast, you can make Bacon Quiche Crescent Cups using this recipe from “Immaculate Baking Company” (How awesome is this name for today, right?). Or, you can make “Babycakes” using this recipe from the Foo...
Post a Comment
Read more