6 If we claim to have fellowship with him while we are walking in the darkness, we are lying and not living out the truth. 7 But if we are walking in the light, as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of his Son Yeshua purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim not to have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing.
10 If we claim we have not been sinning, we are making him out to be a liar, and his Word is not in us.
2:1 My children, I am writing you these things so that you won’t sin. But if anyone does sin, we have Yeshua the Messiah, the Tzaddik, who pleads our cause with the Father. 2 Also, he is the kapparah for our sins — and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.
The Holy Innocents, Martyrs (Feast)He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins.(1 John 1:9)
It’s impossible to read the chilling story of Herod’s slaughter of the boys in Bethlehem without shuddering. It’s also hard not to think of the curse of abortion, which continues to destroy holy innocents in our day—not just one time in one place, but day after day in city after city. But in the face of this horrific truth, God calls us to walk in the light. So stand up, and let that light shine on you today.
Perhaps you have been involved in an abortion, as a client or as a provider. Perhaps you have pressured a pregnant relative or friend to consider one or pretended you didn’t know what was going on. If so, know that God’s mercy is far greater than your sin. There is forgiveness and healing for you.
Perhaps you have harshly judged a pregnant woman who chose abortion, condemning instead of trying to understand and help her. If so, remember Jesus’ caution about not casting the first stone (John 8:7). Ask him to help you love this person more.
Perhaps you have voiced opposition to abortion for many years, but now you are tempted to give up, feeling that the tide will never turn. You too need to seek God’s forgiveness and find strength to persevere. Statistics show that a new generation of pro-life young people is rising up. God may be calling you to join these newcomers and become a mentor to them.
St. John says we delude ourselves if we think any of us is without sin. But we are just as deluded if we will not accept the forgiveness he freely offers us.
Every human life is precious to our Father: the life of the unborn baby, the life of the frightened mother, the life of the abortionist, the life of the passive Christian, the life of the discouraged activist. His unconditional love reaches out to each of us, strengthening us to move forward in a life-affirming way. So let’s never give up the fight; let’s never stop promoting the sacredness of all life. Let’s keep trying to heal this devastating wound in our society—and let us do it all with love.
“Father, receive all the little ones slain in our era. Collect the tears of the guilty as well, and use them to bring about change.” Amen!
Psalm 124:2 If Adonai hadn’t been for us
when people rose to attack us,
3 then, when their anger blazed against us,
they would have swallowed us alive!
4 Then the water would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us.
5 Yes, the raging water
would have swept right over us.
7 We escaped like a bird from the hunter’s trap;
the trap is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of Adonai,
the maker of heaven and earth.
Matthew 2:13 After they had gone, an angel of Adonai appeared to Yosef in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to leave. For Herod is going to look for the child in order to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother, and left during the night for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until Herod died. This happened in order to fulfill what Adonai had said through the prophet,
“Out of Egypt I called my son.”[Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1]
16 Meanwhile, when Herod realized that the Magi had tricked him, he was furious and gave orders to kill all the boys in and around Beit-Lechem who were two years old or less, calculating from the time the Magi had told him. 17 In this way were fulfilled the words spoken through the prophet Yirmeyahu,
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and lamenting loudly.
It was Rachel sobbing for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no longer alive.”[Matthew 2:18 Jeremiah 31:14(15)]
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