Holy Innocents

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: “A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.” - Matthew 2:16-18

By comparison...

Abortions in the United States
Total number of abortions in the U.S. since 1973: 48 million +
Abortions per year: 1,200,000
Abortions per day: 3,288
Abortions per hour: 137
9 abortions every 4 minutes
1 abortion every 26 seconds

Did Herod kill this many children?  Are we as a nation much better?

Sources: Here and Here

What Child Is This?

What child is this, who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap, is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear for sinners here,
The silent Word is pleasing.

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come peasant king to own Him,
The King of kings, salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise the song on high,
The Virgin sings her lullaby:
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary

O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver, long-awaited Saviour of the nations, come to save us, O Lord our God.
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O Rex Gentium

O King of the nations, for whom the nations yearn, O cornerstone, joining separate parts into one, come to save mankind, whom you formed from the clay.
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O Oriens

O Rising Sun, splendour of eternal light and blazing Sun of justice, come to bring light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.
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O Clavis David

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel, whose will controls the gate of heaven, come, free those imprisoned by the walls of death for those who live in darkness, in the shades of morbidity.  Lead those in captivity to freedom.

O Radix Jesse

O stock of Jesse, you stand as a sign for the peoples. Kings fall silent before you, the nations acclaim you: delay no longer, but come to free us.
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O Adonai

O Adonai, O Leader of the house of Israel, you appeared to Moses in the burning bush and you gave him the Law on Sinai: come, stretch out your arm and redeem us.
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O Sapientia

O Wisdom from the mouth of the Most High, you fill the whole world. With strength and gentleness you order all things: come to teach us the way of prudence.
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Rejoice!

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete : modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:4-6

Our Lady of Guadalupe

On December 9, 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to an Indian convert, Juan Diego, and left with him a picture of herself impressed upon his cloak. Devotion to Mary under this title has continually increased, and today she is the Patroness of the Americas.

Source

I am the Immaculate Conception

O Queen Conceived without Sin, Pray for us that have recourse to thee.

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Nicholas was bishop of Myra, in Lycia (now part of Turkey). He has been venerated throughout the Church, especially since the 10th century because of his help to the poor. He is said to have given three bags of gold secretly to a poor man who could not afford dowries for his three daughters.  He died in the middle of the fourth century.

A Voice of One Crying Out

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
Lk 3:1-6