We are Responsible

Mt 2.13-18

As we remember the solemn martyrdom of the Holy Innocents today, my prayers go to the innocent victims of tragedies all over the world, either caused by nature or humans. Recently the southern part of the Philippines suffered a great loss of hundreds of innocent lives. Worse of the scenario, it happened several days before Christmas. I can imagine a similar “Rachel wails for her children, for they are no” situation among the victims’ loved ones. Any tragedy has a devastating effect in one’s life, oftentimes shaking one’s faith in God. Perhaps you would agree with me in asking ‘can the Church’s celebration of the feast of the Holy innocents be a consoling hope to the people of the said tragedy?’ Or ‘can there be an appropriate word or gesture to comfort them?’ It takes a leap of faith, courage and similar experience to tell them that everything will be alright.

To understand the wisdom behind God’s plan of salvation is to look deeply in the ‘order’ of things and how our negligent participation breaks its harmony. Chaos is never to be denied because Scriptures (Gen 1.2) made clear of its existence as part of creation account. However, we should distinguish that creation is about order, chaos is a disorder. Thus, disorder cannot be attributed to God (Creator), although God permits it to exist. St Augustine speaks that the power of God is so great that He can extract good out of ‘chaos’. But the question becomes more serious now, is it just to sacrifice many lives so that good can come out of it? Justice now speaks of our liberty and capacity to either avoid or cause chaos.

In the Gospel today, Matthew did not concern himself on the question in connection with the suffering of the innocent lives of children (and their ‘mothers’). It does not bother him that ‘God saves his Son at the expense of innocent people’. St John Chrysostom has another and rather quite bizarre position when he said “nothing good would have come from them anyway, since there can be no innocent human suffering.” While other interpretations claim that the children were ‘permitted’ to die for Christ because it is better than living in sin. Indeed, this explanation is easy to understand for a man (woman) of faith; Martyrdom after all is an act of faith.

But “chaos’ is also our doing when we neglect our duty to become good stewards of earth; when we refused to take responsibility to be our brothers’ (sisters) keeper; when we removed ourselves to God’s order. It will drive anyone insane to acquire power, fame and wealth by and for himself (herself), like Herod’s struggle for power which caused the lives of innocent children of Bethlehem. In relation to this, many critics blamed the tragedy in Iligan and Cagayan De Oro cities to the ‘illegal, irresponsible and evil’ mining businesses in the areas owned and managed by wealthy families and government heads. We all know what these critics are pointing out. If such was the cause of the martyrdom of hundreds of innocent lives, such tragedy is not only unjust but morally wrong. If proven, they should be held responsible.

But we are responsible too. For as long as we allow such self-imposed policies, negligent and careless attitude towards our environment and welfare of others, we will be held responsible for every innocent life and our future loss will be more than the wailing that is being expressed in the Gospel, for our soul will forever be void. The martyrdom of the Holy Innocents expresses grief and loss, but it also convince us to hold on to our faith, that God is in control, and that we are in good hands.

May I take this opportunity to ask your generosity (material, humanitarian or spiritual) to help the victims of the recent tragedy in the southern part of the Philippines. May God bless us!