Anna Marie Gallagher, Executive Director of the Catholic Legal
Immigration Network (CLINIC), reflects on the readings for the Feast of
the Holy Innocents.
 â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â
****Feast of the Holy Innocents****
Today's Lectionary Readings
**Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt and stay there
until I tell you. **
**Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.**
As we reflect on today's reading from Matthew, we see Jesus incarnate
in the families fleeing for their lives and arriving at our southern
border. We see Jesus incarnate in the babies and children huddled in
shelters and sleeping on the streets of Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Juarez,
and Tijuana with their mothers and fathers, waiting to be received and
welcomed by us in the land of plenty.  The "Herod" of extreme
violence and poverty propels them north to protect their lives and seek
dignity.  The "Herod" of many of our countrymen and women reject
them and leave their lives in danger.  And like Rachel, we see mothers
weeping without consolation for their children. Â
John, in the first reading, reminds us that God is light.  He
instructs us that when we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one
another and are cleansed from all sin.  Despite the many "Herods"
who might be encountered today, there are just as many who walk in light
and are in fellowship with our immigrant brothers and sisters at the
border.  Religious and non-profit workers and volunteers join hands
and hearts to alleviate their suffering. This fellowship is more
important than ever.  We must raise our voices and stand by and with
the men, women and children stranded at our borders in their pleas for
protection and dignity.Â
**Anna Marie Gallagher is Executive Director of the Catholic Legal
Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC).**
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