During this octave of Christmas, the Church celebrates the memory of the small children of the neighborhood of Bethlehem put to death by Herod. Sacrificed by a wicked monarch, these innocent lives bear witness to Christ who was persecuted from the time of His birth by a world which would not receive Him.

It is Christ Himself who is at stake in this mass-murder of the children; already the choice, for or against Him, is put clearly before men. But the persecutors are powerless, for Christ came to perform a work of salvation that nothing can prevent; when He fell into the hands of His enemies at the time chosen by God it was to redeem the world by His own Blood.

Our Christmas joy is tempered today by a feeling of sadness. But the Church looks principally to the glory of the children, of these innocent victims, whom she shows us in heaven following the Lamb wherever He goes. (CatholicCulture)

Modern day Massacre of the Innocents

It is important that we realize that the spirit of malice that stimulated these events continues to live on. The One Child Policy in China is one of the most gruesome cases.  China’s “Family Planning” laws came into effect about three decades ago. They allow families in rural areas to have a second child if their first was a girl. Other couples are granted permission to expand their families for a fee, which can be exorbitant. There are heavy fines for violating the rules.

Forced abortions are illegal in China, but Stone says Liu’s case highlights the fact that the rules are often enforced at the whim of the local Family Planning offices and the Communist Party officials who staff them. The local officials are reportedly given abortion quotas to meet if they want to see their careers advance.” (Source)

Coerced Abortions

Nevertheless, there are countless number of cases that aren’t so explicitly “forced”. Even though Planned Parenthood and other abortionists deny it, post-abortive women confirm the grim truth that most abortions—nearly two out of three—involve pressure, coercion or even violence against pregnant women. Pregnancy is a vulnerable time for a woman; the threat of forced abortion greatly increases her vulnerability physically, emotionally and mentally. Pregnant women have a right to be safe and protected from any threat of violence or coercion.

A forced abortion, or coerced abortion, occurs when a woman undergoes an abortion against her own wishes. Coercion often involves the threat of physical harm, blackmail or other acts in order to force a pregnant girl or woman to have an abortion.

• 64 percent of abortions involve some sort of coercion.
• 45 percent of men interviewed at abortion clinics recalled urging abortion, including 37 percent of married men.
• Teens are at higher risk for becoming victims of coerced abortion.

According to researcher David Reardon, women give these reasons, among others, for undergoing abortion:

• Forced by their mother, father, husband or boyfriend
• Lack of support from social network
• Persuaded / pressured by abortion center

(Source)

Let these realities renew us in our determination to pray and do all that we can to defend life.