No, We Love Yeshua

Fr. Dale Matson

The Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) via a report in “Christianity Today” reported December 1st that ISIS murdered four Christian children for refusing to denounce their faith in Jesus. http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2014/12/canon-andrew-white-christian-children-beheaded-for-refusing-to-convert-to-islam.aspx

Here is a video from Fr. Andrew White an Anglican Priest known as the vicar of Bagdad, who was ordered to leave Bagdad by Archbishop Welby. http://myocn.net/before-being-killed-children-told-isis-no-we-love-jesus/

December (28th) is also the feast of the Holy Innocents who were martyred by King Herod. Here is what St. Augustine had to say.

"Blessed are you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah! You suffered the inhumanity of King Herod in the murder of your babes and thereby have become worthy to offer to the Lord a pure host of infants. In full right do we celebrate the heavenly birthday of these children whom the world caused to be born unto an eternally blessed life rather than that from their mothers' womb, for they attained the grace of everlasting life before the enjoyment of the present. The precious death of any martyr deserves high praise because of his heroic confession; the death of these children is precious in the sight of God because of the beatitude they gained so quickly. For already at the beginning of their lives they pass on. The end of the present life is for them the beginning of glory. These then, whom Herod's cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers' bosom, are justly hailed as "infant martyr flowers"; they were the Church's first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief.”
— St. Augustine

Prayers of the People

And we also bless thy holy Name for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear especially these children, beseeching thee to grant them continual growth in thy love and service; and to grant us grace so to follow the good examples of Christian Martyrs and all thy saints, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. Grant these our prayers, O Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen. (HE 1, P.330 BCP)