Holy Innocents - Memorial Mass for Infants

 

Tonight, this memorial Mass we pray will give healing and consolation to those who have lost a child and we pray for the souls of all children, who did not have the opportunity to spend much time on earth.

When a parent loses a child, their heart is broken and nothing can ever take away that brokenness. However, their heart will be able to experience God’s love and healing graces because the Lord is with us, cares about us and by His mercy, we can move forward in hope.

If you recall the pain you felt the moment when you discovered your baby died, you certainly would have felt shocked, angry and sad. A whole mix of emotions. There is a way to find healing which is to come to know what is true –Jesus was there for you and the baby. Jesus held the child in His hands when his or her soul departed from their body. And though you may not have felt it at the time, Jesus had His arms wrapped around you as you wept. And He wept with you. As your heart was broken, so was His Heart broken.

A few years back, I prepared a couple for marriage and after they were married, the wife became pregnant. The doctor gave them their due date and as the baby began to grow and develop they were so excited. They had dreams of doing so many things with their child. 9 months later, on the scheduled day the child was to be born, the child died while still in the womb. The couple was crushed and no words could console them. We had little Emma’s funeral a few days later. The couple moved to Oklahoma and a several years later, I baptized their infant twins. As we left the church after their baptism, the couple stopped by the cemetery to pay a visit Emma’s grave. It touched my heart to see how they remembered Emma.

Some of you may have a grave for your child or children and some may not. But, I encourage you to celebrate the life of your child or children once a year. Just as we celebrate the conception day of Jesus and Mary, you can celebrate the conception day of your child or children. Since you most likely don’t know the conception day, you can choose any day (perhaps a feast day in the Church) and let that day be your special day to visit the grave or if you don’t have a grave, to celebrate the day as you would a child’s birthday with cake and ice cream or may be let it be a day you will take the day off of work and go to Mass and go out to eat. You don’t need to tell others why you do what you do.

If you have not yet named your child or children, I encourage you to do it. If you don’t know your child’s gender, you can choose a name such as Peace, Angel, or Heaven or Star. As soon as Mass is over, you will have the opportunity to write your child’s name in the book and if you don’t have a name picked out, you can write something like mamma and daddy’s baby.

We believe the Holy Innocents, who were never baptized are saints in heaven and can intercede for us especially since they died in place of the Infant Jesus. When it comes to our infants, were not supposed to pray to the dead unless they are saints or blesseds or on their way to becoming saints. But what we can do-- is pray to Jesus and ask Him to tell the child something. For example, you can say a prayer like this, “O Jesus, would you tell little Emma, Mommy or Daddy loves her.” or “O Jesus, tell baby Emma to pray for me.” or “O Jesus tell my baby, I am sorry your life on earth was short and I hope we will be together heaven.”

For those of you who are concerned about your child not receiving baptism, “Trust in the mercy of Jesus”. Don’t let it be a concern of yours-- because back then--- it was out of your hands and God always brings good out of bad circumstances. You can pray that God in His mercy-- will allow your child to enjoy enteral life. The child never sinned and its through no fault of his or hers, the child wasn’t baptized. As Catholics we believe baptism is necessary for salvation. However, “there are many factors that give serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the Beatific Vision”. In fact the Catechism gives us consoling words, it states, “the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them," allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.”

Today, allow Jesus to touch and soothe your broken heart. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who holds His little lambs in His arms next to His beating Heart.

And let us rejoice in God giving life to all infants and though their life was cut short, we have hope of to someday be with them. May this Holy Mass grant them the gift of the light of heaven and console you and give you peace. And May Mary, who held Her Child in Her arms when He was born and at the foot of the Cross, when He died, give strength to those who have lost their child.