Read:
Matthew 2:16-18

Explain:
We read in the New Testament how king Herod ordered the slaughter of innocent children throughout Bethlehem and the surrounding region. Today in that same part of the world, and elsewhere, children are innocent victims of war, terrorism, violent crime, and abuse. The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression came into being in 1982. The observance was created in response to the appalling number of innocent children suffering because of the conflict in Palestine. But the day reminds us that all children are vulnerable to violence. It reminds us that children worldwide suffer from various forms of abuse, and that there is an urgent need to protect the rights of children.

Pray:

• Give thanks for your family's safety.
• Pray for victims of child abuse.
• Pray that the day will come when children will be able to grow up in a world without violence.
• Pray especially for an end to the violence in Palestine.