On the Fourth Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Four Calling Birds. The Four Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, calling the Faithful home. The Gospels tell of the birth, the life, death and resurection of the Son of Man.
Of all the Gospels, Matthew is the most detailed. Not only does he tell of the life of Jesus, he painstakingly tells of the lineage. While we do not know if Matthew’s obsession with the line of secession was in part from his time as a tax collector, or if this became important to him later to establish Jesus as the one fortold. In his previous life as a tax collector it was important for Matthew to know, should a man pass away, who would be responsible for his debt. What we do know of Matthew from his writings is that he became intimately familiar with both lineage and prophecy. He links the birth of Jesus and the slaughter of Innocence to the prophecy of Jeremiah. In its original context, Jeremiah spoke of the time when Israel was captive in Babylon, and the murder of children during the invasion of Judea. Not only does Matthew draw a line between these two events as fulfillment of the prophecy, he also compares Herod’s Massacre of Innocents to the story found in Exodus. The Pharaoh’s astrologers had predicted that a male child would be born who would break the chains of bondage for the Jewish people. Just as Herod feared the news of a new King, so the Pharaoh feared the birth of Moses. Slaughter did not work for the Pharaoh against God’s plan. And it did not work for Herod, for Joseph was there to lead the Christ Child to Egypt. Again in fulfillment of the prophecies.
Some profess that the Slaughter of Innocents was in the hundreds or even thousands of boys under the age of two who were murdered. This makes for horrific imagery. But based on the population of the small villages, the annual birthrate and high infant death rate at the time, most biblical historians agree that the total number of male children under the age of two was somewhere between 20 and 40. The slaughter of even 1 child should have been enough for the world to take notice. Yet the killing of forty Hebrew children in an insignificant village such as Bethlehem did not warrant the attention of even a single secular historian. This slaughter was just another ruthless act in a long list of barbaric acts carried out by Herod. He was a man known to have executed his own wives and children. So the killing Jewish children meant nothing to him. Since the snake first tempted Eve in the garden, evil has existed.
On this, the Fourth Day of Christmas and the Feast of the Holy Innocence, let us give thanks to the Lord, who paid a price with His life so that we might come to know Him in heaven. And praise the first young martyrs that their slaughter not be forgotten. Gather close with those we love and be glad.
Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
1/2 White Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
2 boneless Chicken Breasts
1 tablespoon Lard
4 boneless Chicken Thighs
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
1/4 cup White Wine
1 large Lemon
1 teaspoon dried Parsley
4 teaspoons Arrow Root or as needed
Cut onion in half from root to tip. Reserve half for another purpose, peel and dice remaining half. Set aside. Peel and mince garlic, set aside. Cut chicken breasts in half to create 4 breast pieces, set aside.
Set instant pot to sauté, high, 10 minutes. Add lard, melt in the bottom of the insert. Once melted, add onions. Cook onions for about 8 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Add garlic and chicken pieces. Season with salt and paprika. Stir in chicken stock and wine. Cut lemon in half, squeeze juice over the chicken. Scatter dried parsley into the pot.
Lock lid in place. Select Pressure Cook, High, 18 minutes. Press start.
Once pressure has build, and chicken has cooked, allow pressure in the pot to release naturally for 5 minutes, then use the quick release to release any remaining pressure. Unlock lid, remove insert.
Remove about 1/4 cup cooking liquid from the pot, add in arrowroot, reintroduce the slurry to the remaining liquid. Set Instant Pot to sauté, low, 10 minutes. Let the sauce in the pot thicken.
Plate chicken on a serving platter, spoon thickened sauce over the chicken pieces, serve and enjoy.
Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise You, O God,
we acclaim You as Lord;
the white robed army of martyrs praise You.
Alleluia, alleluia.
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