Saturday Rave: Holy Innocents by Christina Rossetti.

Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The Holy Innocents were the babies slaughtered by King Herod at the time of the first Christmas because he was afraid that one of the little ones might grow up to depose him.

Under the circumstances, this poem presumably isn't to be taken at face-value. But it can be.

I hope and trust that you live in a place where it can.

Sleep, little Baby, sleep;
The holy Angels love thee,
And guard they bed, and keep
A blessed watch above thee.
No spirit can come near thee:
Sleep, Sweet, devoid of fear
Where nothing need alarm thee,

The Love which does not sleep,
The eternal Arms surround thee:
The Shepherd of the sheep
In perfect love hath found thee.
Sleep through the holy night,
Christ-kept from snare and sorrow,
Until thou wake to light
And love and warmth tomorrow.

**

I hope very hard for a world where every child can be expected to wake to love and warmth and safety.

Word To Use Today: innocent. The Latin word innocentia means harmlessness, from nocēre to hurt.

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