Reflect today on God's will for your life. How is God calling you to protect the most innocent?

When the wise men were gone, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt and stay there until I tell you." Herod will look for the child to destroy him. "Matthew 2:13

The most glorious event that has ever taken place in our world has also filled some with hatred and anger. Herod, jealous of his earthly power, felt strongly threatened by the message shared with him by the Magi. And when the Magi failed to return to Herod to tell him where the Newborn King was, Herod did the unthinkable. He ordered the massacre of every boy, two years and younger, in and around Bethlehem.

Such an act is difficult to understand. How could the soldiers carry out such a wicked plot. Imagine the deep mourning and devastation that so many families have experienced as a result. How could a civilian ruler kill so many innocent children.

Of course, in our day, so many civilian leaders continue to support the barbaric practice of allowing the slaughter of innocents in the womb. So, in many ways, Herod's action is not that different from what it is today.

The above passage reveals to us the Father's will regarding not only the protection of his divine Son, but also his divine will for the protection and holiness of all human life. It was Satan who long ago inspired Herod to kill those precious and innocent children, and it is Satan who continues to foster a culture of death and destruction today. What should our answer be? We, like St. Joseph, must see it as our solemn duty to protect the most innocent and vulnerable with unwavering determination. Although this newborn baby was God and although the Father in Heaven could have protected His Son with a myriad of angels, it was the Father's will that a man, Saint Joseph, protect His Son. For this reason, we should also feel the Father calling each of us to do everything possible to protect the innocent and the most vulnerable,

Reflect today on God's will for your life. How does God call you to be like Saint Joseph and protect the most innocent and the most vulnerable? How are you called to be the guardian of those entrusted to your care? Certainly on a civilian level we must all work to protect the lives of those who are not born. But every parent, grandparent, and all those entrusted with responsibility for another must strive to protect those entrusted to them in countless other ways. We must work diligently to preserve them from the evils of our world and the numerous attacks of the evil one on their lives. Reflect on this question today and let the Lord tell you about your duty to imitate the great protector, St. Joseph.

Lord, give me insight, wisdom and strength so that I can work in accordance with your will to protect the most innocent from the evils of this world. May I never curl up in the face of evil and always fulfill my duty to protect those in my care. Saint Joseph, pray for me. Jesus I believe in you.