An Awful Story

Speaking of the Blessed Mother, it turns out there is a lesser-known Catholic feast day on November 21 in honor of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple by her parents when she was three years old. The story is apocryphal, but we do know that Mary grew up devoutly, and was to be specially blessed by God to be the Mother of the Messiah. Many of us are also familiar with the Biblical story of the Presentation of the Christ Child in the Temple when he was eight days old. It was fitting that, in both cases, the Jewish custom of children being offered back to the Lord would lead God in turn to use those children to return a life-giving blessing to the whole race.

So it was a minor coincidence that, on November 21st, I ran across this story about the slaughter in Pakistan aimed at killing former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. It struck me as possibly instructive to those who believe that all religions are essentially the same.

Bomb That Killed 170 in Pakistan Was Strapped to a 1-Year-Old Child

November 21, 2007

For those who still believe there are some lines even a militant jihadist won’t cross.

The homicide terror bomb used in an assassination attempt on former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto last month may have been strapped to a 1-year-old child who was being carried by his jihadist father, The Australian newspaper reported Thursday.

The bomb, which killed 170 people and injured hundreds more, detonated during a crowded procession for Bhutto as she returned from exile.

Investigators from Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party said the homicide bomber tried repeatedly to carry the baby to Bhutto’s vehicle as it proceeded through the streets of Karachi.

“At the point where the bombs exploded, Benazir Bhutto herself saw the man with the child and asked him to come closer so that she could hug or kiss the infant,” investigators were reported as saying.

“But someone came in between and a guard felt that the man with the child was not behaving normally. So the child was not allowed to come aboard Benazir’s vehicle.”

According to The Australian, Bhutto said she recalls the face of the man who was carrying the infant and has asked to see recordings of the incident in hopes of identifying the man.