The horror of the holy innocents

We heard  the reading of  the Holy Innocents' slaughter on this 9th day of Christmas, and we recoil at the horror experienced by their pious mothers, in fulfillment of Rachel's weeping when she was dying in childbirth. Her son did not die (though she herself did), and was re-named, from Ben-oni (son of my sorrows) to Benjamin (son of my right hand), for the midwife's comforting word came to pass. So let us remember, when we sorrow, that our tears are understood, and the holy evangelist himself weeps with us; let us not sorrow as others who have no hope; let sorrowful tears be the seedlings of hope, rather than of despair. For the midwife was right, and the Holy Innocents were delivered to heaven, and the sorrows of this life are not worthy to be compared to  the glory that is to be revealed in us. Sermon for the ninth day of Christmas.