Holy Innocents

<p>These are the 'Holy Infants,' the male children recorded slain by King Herod in Matthew's Gospel. This unique episode in Jesus' life is not found in any other document, secular or religious, yet this incident, along with the account of the flight into Egypt, presents the ancient tradition of the early Church: Jesus as the 'new Israel,' persecuted and forced to flee, and the 'new Moses,' marvellously rescued from the slaughter of the Hebrew children. This feast also points to Jesus as the Messiah and foreshadows the secular opposition which Jesus will later meet, culminating in his Passion.©2011 <em>Living with Christ, </em>Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., <strong>http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/</strong&gt;. Reprinted with permission.</p>