Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life

 

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

On the following day, when the people were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, or His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

- John 6:16-27 

 

Yesterday we read that, after healing a paralytic and disputing with the religious leaders, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting own; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did. said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by himself alone.

 

  Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  Here we are given the fifth sign of seven recorded in John's Gospel.  We are in chapter 6 of John's Gospel, in which there are repeated parallels to the Exodus of Israel from Egypt.  Pertaining to this passage, we recall that Moses led the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the middle of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here, my study Bible points out, Christ sends His disciples across the sea, and then He walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.  

On the following day, when the people were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, or His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  Once again, the people seek Jesus, desperate for a type of political Messiah who will rule as king, deliver them from enemies, and one who will in particular provide all their needs.  But this is not the mission of Jesus Christ.  They recognize only that they ate of the loaves and were filled, but Christ's signs point beyond worldly reality, to the presence of God's Kingdom in the Person of Jesus Christ. 

 

In today's reading we witness once again how fervently these people desire for Jesus to be their king.  So much so, they continue to seek Him although they have no idea where He had gone, because He walked on the water toward His disciples rowing in the middle of the Sea of Galilee.  Now we might think of many reasons for this, not least of all because it is one of the seven signs given to us in John's Gospel.  As written in commentary above, it parallels another element of the story of the Exodus, when Israel escaped Egypt in the middle of the water.  But if we think of this parallel of escaping Egypt, we might also consider the parallel that applies to Jesus Himself, and the fact that the people wish to make Him king.  Egypt, in the story of Israel, can possibly stand for many things we can think of. But in this case we might recall the Israelites longing for while Egypt while they wandered on their journey following Moses.  Just prior to the Lord's miraculous feeding in the wilderness for the Israelites, they moaned, longing for Egypt again, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger" (see Exodus 16:3-4).  They longed for the "fleshpots" of Egypt, the material plenty in the midst of an oppressive rule opposed to their faith.  We could possibly view, from an entirely human perspective, what it means that Christ has escaped across the sea in order to evade the people who wish to make Him king.  To become king would surely be something widely desirable in strictly material terms.  One would have all the servants one wanted, all the goods one wanted, all the power one wanted.  In a sense, that collection of things:  material goods, power, servants, parallel Egypt, for when the Israelites left Egypt it was a powerful empire with Pharaohs who ruled absolutely.  But this is not Christ's mission, and it's not the mission for how He is going to lead God's people to the promised land of His new covenant.  The people in today's story would prefer that Jesus were king.  Think what such a Messiah could do with worldly power.   In purely material and earthly terms, this is a great temptation -- to believe that the world can be redeemed with worldly power.  But that is a human delusion, and Jesus will have none of it, for it is not His mission.  He has an entirely different reality to bring to this world, the presence of the Kingdom of God -- and all the material worldly gain He could command is not part of the mission.  That is not how He will bring abundant life into the world.  So let us consider the extraordinary lengths we read Jesus goes through to avoid being forcefully made king.  He walks on the water to assure the disciples that no matter where they are, He is with them.  He does not come to all the people this way, but only a handful of disciples, seemingly powerless, straining at rowing in the middle of the sea in the middle of a great windstorm. But it is that place -- isolated from the world, in the dark, a storm blowing, with these few men who follow Him -- where the Savior of the world chooses to be, where His mission takes its shape to bring life to the world.  This is the place Jesus must be, the place He chooses to be, reassuring His (at that time) tiny flock, telling them,  "It is I; do not be afraid."  Sometimes you and I may also be called upon to make choices to sacrifice the glamor of the world for the love of God and the few who desire that goal with us.  Let us be faithful to our mission as well, as Jesus gives us the mission:  "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him

 

 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted,

Because they are no more."

 

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

 

- Matthew 2:13–23 

 

Yesterday we read that after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"  Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

 

  Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  My study Bible comments that Egypt is where Israel once took refuge; as Joseph of the Old Testament once saved God's people by bringing them to Egypt (Genesis 39-47), now Christ's stepfather Joseph finds safety for the Savior in Egypt.  It is likely that the gifts of the magi paid for this journey of safety.  Note the importance of dreams of divine warnings in these readings of Jesus' early life, both in today's reading and yesterday's (above).

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."  My study Bible says that this is a reference first to Israel being brought out of captivity (Hosea 11:1).   In the Old Testament, "son" can refer to the whole nation of Israel.  Here Jesus fulfills this calling as the true Son of God by coming out of Egypt.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Herod's cruelty was prefigured by Pharoah, who, in an attempt to destroy the power of Israel, had commanded the death of all the newborn Jewish boys (Exodus 1:16, 22).  

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:  "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more."  Jeremiah the prophet recorded the people of Jerusalem being led away into exile (the quote is from Jeremiah 31:15).  On their way to captivity, they passed Ramah near Bethlehem, where Jacob's wife Rachel lay buried.  In his prophecy, my study Bible says, Jeremiah saw Rachel, even from the grave, moved with compassion for the fate that had come to her descendants.  Here she is again weeping for her children during what is known as the Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod, which shows that the saints in heaven have both awareness and compassion for those yet on earth.  These slaughtered children are regarded as saints and martyrs in the Church and are known as the Holy Innocents.  Just as Rachel was told that her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 31:16-17), so Jesus will return from His exile in Egypt.

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  My study Bible says that according to historical records, Herod the Great died in 4 BC.   Therefore, the date of Christ's birth on which the our "AD" (Anno Domini, Latin for "year of the Lord"), more recently called "CE" (Common Era), calendar is based is off by four years.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.   Augustus Caesar banished Archelaus for his cruelty in AD 6.   This cruelty was revealed to Joseph as a warning in a dream; therefore he detours to Galilee, a region north of Judea.  At that time, succeeding Herod the Great, Herod Antipas (another son) ruled Galilee as tetrarch for Rome, and was commonly called "king" (see Luke 3:1).

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."  My study Bible says that the prophecy referred to here cannot be exactly identified.  It might be taken as a reference to the rod (Hebrew neser) in Isaiah 11:1, and to the Nazirite (Hebrew Nazir) in Judges 13:5.  Matthew also could be alluding to passages in which the Messiah was despised, as Nazareth did not have a good reputation (John 1:46).

 

 In the early life of Jesus, as the God-man Messiah gets His start in the world, we see that nothing is easy.  In fact, it is quite the opposite.  Jesus the Messiah is born into a world of hostility to Him, and terrible cruelty carried out in order to wipe Him from the world.  His mother and faithful guardian Joseph must act constantly to protect the Child from harm, moving into exile in Egypt, even though He has already been welcomed into the world by the shepherds who were informed by hosts of angels (Luke 2:8-20), by the wise men or Magi in yesterday's reading (above), and received in the temple with prophecies by Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38).  Jesus, hailed as King of the Jews, and feared by Herod the Great, has already faced terrible threats and hardships in His young life, and an immediate slaughter of innocent babes carried out in order to eliminate Him.  While we can look at the beautiful and extraordinary gifts of the Magi (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) as those which honor a King, they must have been used by Joseph and Mary in order to go into Egypt, as Christ is not born into a family with great wealth or status, even though His human lineage can be traced to ancestors from the Old Testament.  In all ways, the world's outward reception of the Christ is one of hostility; certainly this can be said of the powers of the world.  It resembles the way that Jesus will have to conduct His ministry, frequently withdrawing into Galilee and even to Gentile regions further north in order to avoid the Pharisees and other powerful leaders in Jerusalem after a conflict.  Contrary to current popular notions which reflect much more notions of magic rather than holiness, the birth of our Lord is not a story about splendid lives of great welcome and majesty in some material sense -- it is rather just the opposite.  Christ's life, and the lives of those who care for Him and protect Him, begin with hostility and hardship, exile and return to an obscure and unheralded place in which it is safe for Him to be raised.  If you or I were to plan this birth of the God-man Christ in the world, would we do it this way?  Could we possibly expect so much danger and hardship -- let alone obscurity in what was thought of as a backwater sort of town -- would accompany the entrance into the world of the Lord of lord and King of kings?  Even after twenty centuries, our worldly notions and expectations about holiness and grace and blessedness and God's favor still haven't quite caught up with God's plan.  For all along, salvation was planned as that which would transform the world, and a plan which transfigures through faith, and asks human beings to willingly participate in that saving effort.  It does not present the world as perfect and magical (or fully "fixed"); quite the contrary, there is power at work in the world -- both "otherworldly" and entirely human --  which is frequently evil and cruel and oppressive, and particularly hostile to the people of God.  As the multitude of hosts of angels and wise men from the East welcome Christ into the world, so the forces of power in the world oppose Him.   Jesus' early history, as my study Bible repeatedly notes, mirrors the history of struggle of the people of God, Israel.  Jesus is born of this spiritual history, and is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, and His young life already illustrates indeed, in the fullness of its unfolding, that "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22).   But this time, the fullness of salvation, as it has unfolded through the history in the Old Testament, is now resting within one Person, this Child, the Son Incarnate, both fully human and fully divine -- and so all is on His shoulders, including the opposition of "the worldly" and the prince or ruler of this world, as we shall see unfold at the beginning of His public ministry.  We should take it to heart, for we who follow in faith must participate in that same life.  The history of the saints is filled with stories of suffering and hardship, humility and exile, and times of obscurity.  For now in Christ's life there is refuge in Nazareth.  Perhaps it is wise to consider the suggestion that out of the name of Nazareth we are reminded of the budding rod of Jesse, nurtured here in an out-of-the-way and overlooked garden, where He may grow until His mature manhood and the time to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene"

Flight into Egypt - Gentile da Fabriano, 1423

 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more."

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

- Matthew 2:13-23

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.' "  Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."   My study bible says that Egypt is where Israel once took refuge; as Joseph of the Old Testament once saved God's people by bringing them to Egypt (see Genesis 37, 39-47).  In this story of the infant Christ, his stepfather Joseph finds safety for the Savior in Egypt.  My study adds that it is likely the gifts of the magi (see yesterday's reading, above) paid for their journey.

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."  Out of Egypt I called my Son is a reference first to Israel being brought out of captivity (Hosea 11:1).  My study bible adds that in the Old Testament, "son" can refer to the entire nation of Israel.  In this case, Jesus fulfills this calling as the true Son of God by coming out of Egypt.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  My study bible tells us that the cruelty of Herod was prefigured by Pharoah.  Pharoah, as does Herod, attempted to destroy the power of Israel by commanding the death of all the newborn Jewish boys (Exodus 1:16, 22).

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:  "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."  The quotation is from Jeremiah, who recorded the people of Jerusalem being led away to exile (Jeremiah 31:15).  On their way into captivity, they passed Ramah near Bethlehem, where Jacob's wife Rachel was buried.  In his prophecy, my study bible says, Jeremiah saw Rachel, even from the grave, moved with compassion for the fate that had befallen her descendants.  Here Rachel is once again weeping for her children, which shows that the saints in heaven have both awareness and compassion for those still in the world.  It is also noted that these slaughtered children are regarded as saints and martyrs in the Church, and they are known as the Holy Innocents.  As Rachel was told that her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 38:16-17), so also Jesus will return from His exile in Egypt.

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  Historical records indicate that Herod the Great died in 4 BC.  The date of Christ's birth, upon which the current  AD (Anno Domini, Latin for "year of the Lord") calendar is based is off by four years.

 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.   My study bible notes that Augustus Casar banished Archelaus for his cruelty in AD 6.  Joseph was warned in a dream of this cruelty, and thus the family detoured to Nazareth (see the following verse).  Nazareth was in Galilee, a region to the north of Judea, across Samaria, and was governed by another son of Herod the Great, named Herod Antipas, who will yet reign during Jesus' adulthood and the time of His ministry (Luke 3:1). 

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."   My study bible says that this prophecy cannot be exactly identified.  It has variously been taken as a reference to the rod (Hebrew neser) in Isaiah 11:1, and to the Nazarite (Hebrew Nazir) of Judges 13:5.  My study bible adds that Matthew may have been alluding to passages in which the Messiah was despised, since Nazareth did not have a good reputation (John 1:46).

Joseph brings Jesus and Mary to Nazareth, thus having avoided the dangers that await this Child.  As my study bible says, Nazareth did not have a "good reputation," citing Nathanael's question in John's Gospel, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"  Galilee itself was not considered of great importance to the Jewish tradition, being a place of mixed Jewish and Gentile population, and to the north of Samaria, away from Judea.  Even the Pharisees mistakenly assert that "no prophet has arisen out of Galilee" (see John 7:45-52), when in fact Jonah the prophet was from Gath-Hepher, which was a small distance from Nazareth.  But Nazareth itself was perhaps even less "stellar" than Galilee as a whole.   Any way we look at it, this childhood home of Jesus is a humble and out-of-the-way place.  When Jesus will encounter criticisms of His ministry, much of it will center upon the fact that He is from Nazareth, as it is unknown to the leadership that He was born in Bethlehem, the city of David.  But this humble beginning teaches us something very important and relevant to our faith.  St. Paul will write in 2 Corinthians, chapter 12 of the experience of visions and revelations.  He remarks that he knows a man in Christ who was "caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words," most likely referring to himself.  But then he adds that "yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities."  All of this is prelude to write, "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure."  This thorn in the flesh, about what exactly it was we can only speculate, he prayed to have taken away from him.  But he was told by God, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  (See 2 Corinthians 12:1-10).  All of this is to emphasize by St. Paul the great importance of humility in our relationship with God.  Christ's upbringing in Nazareth is wise in this respect.  Joseph himself is a man to whom great things have been revealed repeatedly in dreams (see the several instances in today's reading), as was the case of the earlier Joseph of the Old Testament.  By making their home in Nazareth, the Christ child is freed from the unwanted attention of the authorities in the "greater" cities and central capitols of Israel.  And Jesus' humble upbringing itself is also a key to our faith, as in Christianity tradition holds that humility is the greatest of virtues.  This humble place of Nazareth allows Jesus to flourish and grow, to become the Man He will be when He begins His ministry.  Thus we should all take it to heart that humility is first of all a foundational ground in which virtue may grow, and through which -- as in the case of St. Paul -- God's grace can take root and work through us.  John's Gospel speaks of those members of the ruling council who had faith in Jesus, but for whom the praise of men was more important than the praise of God (John 12:42-43).  In Mark's Gospel, when Jesus is questioned in the temple about paying taxes to the Romans, He is approached with the words, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth" (see this reading).  Nazareth, the humble town, was a place in which Christ could grow to be such a Man, who would accept the humble circumstances through which He would conduct His ministry, and the suffering and humiliation He would endure as Savior.  Nazareth, the humble and out-of-the-way town also stands in for the times in which we may need to withdraw from the attentions of the world at times, for our own spiritual, mental, and physical health.  To take a break from the competitions of the world allows us to nurture something good that may grow within us, to care for our souls, and to pay attention to God.  There are times, as with Jesus' life, in which we need withdrawal to protect what is being nurtured away from the dangers of the power of the world and its ruthless competition.  This is the great paradox of our faith:  the very fact that God condescended to become fully man -- even this Man of Nazareth -- is the teaching that is perhaps the greatest key to our faith.  That it is through our own humility, our acceptance and understanding of what it means to have the capacity to "bear a little shame" in life (in the oft-repeated phrase of the blogger Fr. Stephen Freeman), which enables us to live a life of grace and communion with God, a truly prayerful life.  Let us consider Nazareth, when we are confused by the judgment of the world and its conflict with the judgments of God -- and how God's love can be at work in us and through us.  The spirit of the humble, even of seeming failure, may be just that opportunity for what is truly valuable beyond all else. 

A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children

 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more."

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

- Matthew 2:13-23

Yesterday we read that after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'"  Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."   Egypt is the place where Israel once took refuge.  My study bible says that as Joseph of the Old Testament once saved God's people by bringing them to Egypt (Genesis 39-47), now Christ's stepfather Joseph finds safety for the Savior in Egypt.  It is likely that the gifts of the magi paid for this journey.  "Out of Egypt I called My Son" (Hosea 11:1) refers first to Israel being brought out of captivity.  In the Old Testament, "son" can refer to the whole nation of Israel; Jesus fulfills this calling as the true Son of God by coming out of Egypt, His life in some sense bearing His people.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:  "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."   Herod the Great was known as a cruel ruler even in times when rulers were routinely ruthless.  Here Herod's cruelty was prefigured by Pharoah, who in an attempt to destroy the power of Israel, my study bible says, commanded the death of all the newborn Jewish boys (Exodus 1:16, 22).  Jeremiah the prophet records the people of Jerusalem being led away into exile (Jeremiah 31:15).  On their way to captivity, the people passed Ramah near Bethelehem, where Jacob's wife Rachel was buried.  In Jeremiah's prophecy, he saw Rachel, moved with compassion from the grave, for the fate that had befallen her descendants ("her children").  Here Rachel is once again weeping for her children.  My study bible notes that this shows the saints in heaven have awareness and compassion for those yet on earth.  The slaughtered children (called the Holy Innocents) have been historically regarded as saints and martyrs in the Church.  Just as Rachel was told that her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 31:16-17), so Jesus will also return from exile in Egypt.

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."  Herod the Great died in 4 BC, according to historical records.  The date of Christ's birth by tradition begins the way we count years; our current AD (Anno Domini, or "year of the Lord" in Latin) or CE (Common Era) calendar is therefore off by four years.  My study bible says that Augustus Caesar banished Archelaus for his cruelty in AD 6.  This cruelty was revealed as a warning to Joseph in a dream; hence he detours to Nazareth in Galilee.  Galilee was governed at this time by Herod Antipas, another son of Herod the Great.  Herod Antipas is the one who will have John the Baptist killed, and will also confer with Pilate at the sentencing of Jesus.  The prophecy that is referred to here ("He shall be called a Nazarene") is difficult to identify.  It has historically been taken as a reference to the rod (Hebrew neser) in Isaiah 11:1, and to the Nazirite (Hebrew Nazir) of Judges 13:5.  It is possible that Matthew is alluding to passages in which the Messiah was despised, since Nazareth did not have a good reputation (John 1:46). 

And here we have the beginning of the life of the Messiah, the King, the one who is both human and divine, the baby boy Jesus who is also Lord.  It really doesn't sound like the story of the birth of a king as we might imagine the splendor and glory that should accompany the birth of a king!  It is an extraordinary story just taken from that one perspective, with the accompanying difficulties and dangers that set about this boy and His parents right from the start of His life.  The cruelty of kings and rulers accompanies His birth; exile and danger govern the lives of the parents and where they can live with Him in their care. Their reliance is on God; Joseph, His father or worldly guardian, is given intuitions in dreams, and warned about where they cannot go.  When Herod is dead, Joseph is given another dream that they may return to Israel.  He is warned that they cannot return to Bethlehem in Judea, so they turn to Galilee.  Everything about the beginning of this young boy's life is fraught with danger and menace, right from the start.  Even the wise men (in yesterday's reading, above) were threatened by Herod and were also warned in a dream not to return to him.  The parents do all they can to care for this special child, whom they clearly already know is special.  Again, reliance on God has told them so.  Everything in their lives -- right from the start -- is governed by faith.  These two, Joseph and Mary, are remarkable parents to Christ the baby.  From the start, they accept their roles and what it means for them.  Let us note that the truth about this birth must remain confined.  They do not shout about it from the rooftops.  The wise men come from the East, for they know Christ has been born -- and this is the one way that Herod became aware of the birth and aware of the Christ.  The religious rulers know nothing about the fulfillment of the prophecy of His birth.  With the danger present, moving into exile and coming to settle in a town that is not his own, Joseph clearly must keep this secret, just as he resolved, when he found that Mary was pregnant, that he would not make a public example of her, as he was a very just man (Matthew 1:19).  These parents live by their faith.  They do not have the "courage" that might come from a great public reception, or popular following or belief, or any of the comforts that might accompany such a tremendous occurrence.  They have their faith.  Sometimes our own faith lives demand that we keep something quiet.  We do not seek the fanfare of the world for an act or an achievement.  We keep quiet about even a blessing we may have received.  Life for Jesus will not be a simple affair of public acclaim, nor an easy one "fit for a king," as we might think in our imaginations.  It will not be "magical" as we think of magic in some popular understanding.  This, instead, is a life of faith.  It is one filled with the glory and blessings of God that will be shared with the world, but it demands quiet, and discipline, faith, and love.  These are the conditions we find with this Child.  Let us remember that as God may nurture our own faith lives, humility is the greatest asset.  We don't expect magic, but we do have faith and love.

A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more

 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more."

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

- Matthew 2:13-23

Yesterday, we began readings in the Gospel of Matthew.  We read that after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"  Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."   We look to Old Testament types, and the fulfillment of Israel's history from the beginning of Jesus' story.  Egypt is the place where Israel took refuge, as another Joseph, of the Old Testament, once saved God's people by bringing them to Egypt (Genesis 39-47).  Now it is Christ's earthly father (or perhaps we could call him stepfather) Joseph finds safety for Jesus in Egypt.  It is probable, says my study bible, that the gifts of the magi paid for this journey.

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."  "Out of Egypt I called my Son" is a quotation from Hosea 11:1, referring first to Israel being brought out of captivity.  My study bible tells us that in the Old Testament, "son" can refer to the whole nation of Israel.  Here, it says, Jesus fulfills His calling as true Son of God by coming out of Egypt.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:  "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,  Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."  Again, the beginning of Jesus' life is filled with Old Testament types reflected in His very nascence.  The cruelty of Herod images that of Pharaoh, commanded the death of all newborn Jewish boys in order to destroy the power of Israel (Exodus 1:16, 22).  The reference to Jeremiah the prophet is that of a passage recording the people of Jerusalem being led away into exile (Jeremiah 31:15).   On their way to captivity, they passed Ramah, near Bethlehem, where Jacob's wife Rachel was buried.  In Jeremiah's prophecy, he saw Rachel crying, even from the grave, for her descendants and their hardship and misery as exiles from their land.  Rachel is again weeping for her children who are slaughtered by Herod.  My study bible says it shows us that the saints in heaven have awareness and compassion for those who are in this world.  These slaughtered children are traditionally considered saints and known as the Holy Innocents.  My study bible says that just as Rachel was told her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 31:16-17), so Jesus will also return from His exile in Egypt.

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.   According to historical records, my study bible tells us, Herod the Great died in 4 BC.  Therefore the current dating system which we use as AD (or Anno Domini, Latin for "year of the Lord") is off by at least four years.  Archelaus was the son of Herod the Great, and a ruler also known for his cruelty.   In fact, he was banished by Augustus Caesar by reason of notorious cruelty in AD 6.  His cruelty was revealed to Joseph by a dream, and hence Jesus comes to live in Nazareth.  This is a town in Galilee, a province governed by another son of Herod the Great, named Herod Antipas.

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."  This prophecy is somewhat mysterious, and can't be exactly identified.  It may be a reference to the rod or branch (Hebrew neser) in Isaiah 11:1,  and to the Nazirite of (Hebrew Nazir) of Judges 13:5.  My study bible also tells us that Matthew might have been alluding to passages in which the Messiah was despised, since Nazreth did not have a good reputation (John 1:46).

So many Old Testament references permeate the story of Jesus' birth and earliest childhood.  We have to understand that they are as much a part of this story as any of the "facts" of Jesus' life.  He is a fulfillment of promises and prophecies, and more than that.  He is a fulfillment of "type" - of the realities of Jewish spiritual history, the true history of Israel, of those who await the prophesied Messiah.   The Gospel tells us this story.  But we have to stop and think, that although this is earth-shattering news, long-awaited in prophecy, even understood by the wise men from an Eastern country, so few know it.  Herod knows it via the wise men and seeks to kill the Child born a King of Israel.  But this is one small family, in exile, without many resources (save the gifts of the magi, the wise men).  Jesus will preach later on, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" indicating to us that the gifts of mystery, of understanding the spiritual power that lives in everything around us, is something we need to work at, to open up to, to have particular ears and eyes for.  Not everybody knows or notices any of this.  It's just a handful of people who know this world-changing news, this reality born into the world, the spiritual truth of what looks like an ordinary family, an every day reality.  It is much later that the Evangelists will write the story, that the Church will proclaim it.  But the moment in time of spiritual presence isn't known by many at all.  This is the way we have to understand the power of the Spirit in our lives, how the holy may touch us.  We still need to have the proper eyes and ears for it.  We may have answers to our prayers and not quite recognize it, we may have the holy sitting in our midst and not know.  Perhaps wisdom is right in front of us but we can't hear or see it.  Jesus, the King, comes into the world as a babe, His parents sent soon into exile.  We can't get the message if we look or expect the spectacular; that comes only at the end, with His Return.  God is in our midst and the Kingdom of heaven is among us, within us, with us -- but we still must have mystical eyes and ears to know and understand.  Mary received an angel's word, Elizabeth understood and her babe leaped in her womb.  Joseph and the wise men listen to and understand warning dreams.  Rachel again weeps for her children, and a ruthless ruler seeks the Child's life.  The fulfillment of prophecy and expectation is all around in this story.  But how many people really know?

Out of Egypt I called My Son

 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more."

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

- Matthew 2:13-23

Yesterday, we read that after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are not the least among the rulers of Judah;  For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'"  Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.   And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

  Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."   We observe again the importance of dreams and messages at this time, the work of the Holy Spirit in the world, and the presence of angels.  Joseph is a man who has already heard and listened and taken to heart such messages in keeping Mary as his wife, in protecting the Child.  As Christ is born, we observe these gifts of the Spirit at work in the world to all those who are instrumental in the story, and even the signs of nature as indicative that all of creation participates in this birth.  My study bible says that Egypt is where Israel once took refuge; as Joseph of the Old Testament once saved God's people by bringing them to Egypt (Genesis 39-47), now Christ's stepfather Joseph finds safety for the Savior in Egypt.  It notes that it is probable that the gifts of the magi paid for this journey.   Out of Egypt I called my Son refers first to Hosea 11:1, and the call of Israel being brought out of captivity.  My study bible says that in the Old Testament, "son" can refer to the whole nation of Israel.  Here, it says, Jesus fulfills this calling as the true Son of God by coming out of Egypt. Christ as fulfillment of the spiritual history of Israel is already embodying the "types" in the Old Testament.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.   Again we see fulfilled the images from the history of Israel; Herod was prefigured by Pharaoh, who attempted to destroy the power of Israel by commanding the death of all the newborn Jewish boys (Exodus 1:16, 22).

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:  "A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted,  because they are no more."  My study bible says here:  "Jeremiah recorded the people of Jerusalem being led away to exile (Jeremiah 38:15).  On their way to captivity, they passed Ramah, which was near Bethlehem, where Jacob's wife Rachel lay buried.  In his prophecy, Jeremiah saw Rachel, even from the grave, moved with compassion for the fate that had befallen her descendants.  Here Rachel is again weeping for her children, showing that the saints in heaven have awareness and compassion for those yet on earth.  These slaughtered children are regarded as saints and martyrs in the Church and are known as the Holy Innocents.  Just as Rachel was told that her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 38:16-17), so Jesus will return from His exile in Egypt."

 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  Again, a prophetic dream in which an angel appeared is given to Joseph in order to protect the Child.  My study bible says that Herod the Great died in 4 BC.  The date of Christ's birth on which our "AD" or (Anno Domini, Latin for "year of the Lord") calendar is based is off by four years. 

Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he hard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.   And again a warning comes to Joseph in a dream.  Archelaus, named here, was banished by Augustus Caesar for his cruelty, in AD 6.  My study bible says that this cruelty was revealed as a warning to Joseph; hence, the detour to Nazareth of Galilee.  Galilee was governed by another son of Herod the Great, called Herod Antipas, who will play a great role in the lives and deaths of both John the Baptist and Jesus. 

  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."   This prophecy, according to my study bible, cannot be exactly identified.  It has been taken as a reference to the rod (Hebrew neser) in Isaiah 11:1, and to the Nazirite (Hebrew Nazir) of Judges 13:5.   It's possible that Matthew is alluding to passages in which the Messiah was despised, since Nazareth did not have a good reputation (see John 1:46).

In the story of Jesus, the wondrous continues to accompany His birth and His infanthood.  His human "step-father" Joseph continues to be the protector who is able to hear the warnings given in dreams, the angel who appears to guide and protect this family.  We don't get a lot of information about Mary in Matthew; instead, here the focus has been more on Joseph, that necessary protector for both Mary and Jesus.  And despite the fact that all of creation participates in this birth, in this story (yesterday's reading was about the star that guided the wise men who came to worship Jesus), we also find in this plan the adversity between the "worldly" and the holy.  Jesus is not born into a world of perfect human life.  He's born into a world where power is abused and abused harshly.  It's a world where foreigners sit on the thrones that rule Judea and the Jewish people here also in Galilee where they settle; but the most ruthless are those of the region of Judea, where Jesus was born in Bethlehem, making it impossible for the Child to continue there -- almost immediately so from His birth.  So why, we have to ask, is this the story of God coming into the world in human form?  It's a great mistake to equate somehow the "perfect life" (on our terms) with the work of God.  This Savior or Redeemer comes into the world with a purpose, with a mission, and it's not to be welcomed by everyone, with perfect vision and the ability to receive messages of angels.  There is hostility to the good in this world, hostility to what is holy.  It comes in so many forms, as antagonism to peace, destruction of joy, vilifying good news.  Jesus is here born into a struggle, even as an infant.  It is a spiritual struggle in which He will grow as liberator, as One who has come to "set the captives free."  All we can do is admire the beauty of this birth and its associations with the beautiful and the splendid, with the wise men who are guided by a star and also by dreams, with the wise Joseph and also Mary, so young but so full of the gifts of God and the knowledge she takes to heart.  John the Baptist has been born to the pious Elizabeth and Zacharias, and we have heard also prophecy from the elderly who may depart in peace having seen the birth of the Savior to which they are enlightened (Simeon and Anna).  Let us not forget the glory that shone around the shepherds in the field, giving them the good news that absolutely had to be shared, inviting them also to participate in the scene of this birth in Bethlehem.  Jesus brings into the world joy and beauty, wondrous prophecy, spontaneous song and poetry, and this good news is shared with those who can accept it and who will be a part of it coming and growing in the world.  But we still have the "worldly business" of power, of ruthlessness and expediency, of opportunism, of every struggle we face in ourselves between our own selfish or "worldly" motives and the voice that calls us with a message to take a different route.  He has been born into this world to give us everything, and a pouring out of the Spirit upon all, every single one of us.  How do we receive it?  How does this struggle continue, mirrored in the world around us?  How is His peace and joy a part of our lives in the midst of it all?  How does His joy infuse even the worst of times in the place of the heart, with Him?  Can we hear the good news, even midst the bad?

He shall be called a Nazarene

 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all his its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more."

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

- Matthew 2:13-23

In yesterday's reading, we were told that after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not least among the rulers of Judah;  For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"  Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."  My study bible tells us:  "Egypt is where Israel once took refuge and was made captive.  As the Israelites fled from Egypt (Ex. 12:31-42), so Joseph flees into Egypt, by night.  It is probable the gifts of the Magi paid for this journey.  Some of the first steps of Jesus are taken in exile.  This is one of a number of instances in Scripture where God's people must elude civil power in order to do His will."

 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."  This saying refers to Israel in Hosea 11:1.  My study bible also cites several other verses, and adds, "In the Old Testament the son of God is Israel; here Jesus is the true Israel.  He reenacts in His own life the history of Israel, without falling into sin."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all his its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:  "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."  Herod's ruthless cruelty is a sort of mirror image (a type) of action from the Old Testament, in which Pharaoh tried to kill all the male children of Israel when Moses was born (Ex. 1:16, 22).   The quotation is from the prophet Jeremiah.  My study bible says, "Jeremiah recorded the people of Jerusalem being led away to exile (Jer. 31:15).  On their sad pilgrimage to an alien land, they passed Ramah, where Rachel, wife of Jacob lay buried (1 Sam. 10:2).  In his prophecy Jeremiah pictures Rachel, who had long been dead, weeping even in her tomb for the fate that had befallen the people, her children.  Now, the mothers of Bethlehem weep for the slaughter of their children, the Holy Innocents . . . As Rachel was told her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jer. 31:16-17), so Jesus will return from His exile in Egypt."

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.   Herod the Great (also known as a builder, who rebuilt the Jerusalem Temple to its magnificent proportions) died in 4 B.C.  My study bible concludes that the dating of the A.D. (Anno Domini, Latin for "in the year of the Lord") calendar was based was off by several years.  It says that "Archelaus was banished by Augustus Caesar to Gaul in A.D. 6, when the Jews, protesting the cruelty of Archelaus' rule, petitioned his removal.  That very cruelty is foretold by the Lord as a warning to Joseph; hence the detour to Nazareth, a town in Galilee governed by another son of Herod, called Herod Antipas."

And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."  A note here says, "This prophecy cannot be conclusively identified.  It has been taken variously as a reference to the Branch (Hebrew neser) of Isaiah (Is. 11:1) or to the Nazirite (Hebrew nazir) of Judges (Judges 13:7; see also Numbers 6:1-21).  Or Matthew may be alluding to passages which speak of the Messiah as despised, since Nazareth did not have a good reputation among the Jews (John 1:46).  Nazarene later became a designation for followers of Jesus, especially in the Semitic world, although 'Christian' was the more common name."  Many Church Fathers comment that the words "spoken by the prophets" indicate a general saying, and not necessarily a canonical single reference from Scripture (quoting one prophet); thus they generally interpret the sense that a Nazarene is a holy one, set apart; an alternative meaning is a "branch" or "flower" of Jesse -- also of the holy ones.

Again the events of mystery and paradox surround and shape Jesus' life.  We note His father, Joseph, who responds to warnings from dreams (as did the wise men), and departs with Jesus and His mother Mary, to exile in Egypt.  Of course, as my study bible points out, this exile is a kind of type of the exile of the Israelites in Egypt.  But we get a deeper sense, once again, of the conflict from the start between worldly power and the power of the Holy One.  And, once again, as my study bible notes, this is a parallel to Old Testament Scripture:  "God's people must elude civil power in order to do His will."  Again, in a parallel to Old Testament Scripture, all the male children are slaughtered, the Holy Innocents, by the ruthless power of Herod in order to make sure there is no threat to his throne.  In many traditions of the Church, these children are considered martyrs and saints.   Again, Joseph takes heed from an angel in a dream to return to Israel; yet another dream warns him not to return to Bethlehem.  And so Jesus is raised in Nazareth of Galilee, fulfilling a prophecy of holiness -- and yet this contains a paradox, a kind of mystery in its double meaning of the town's reputation among the Jews.  From the beginning, the Messiah's story is complex, shadowed by evil intent and harm from the official worldly powers, the hardship imposed on His parents to care for Him through flight and exile, the first martyrs are the children who are killed for His sake, and Joseph's final settling not in his hometown but rather in Nazareth in Galilee.  God's plan takes many people, many forms, a struggle and a kind of shadowy pursuit of Jesus from His birth:  there are those who also come from a foreign land to worship Him (the wise men of yesterday's reading), who are also outsiders.  Exile, the pursuit of evil forces, death, and still another type of exile in Nazareth, the outsiders who recognize Him (the wise men in Matthew's Gospel, the poor shepherds of Luke's), these are the elements that surround Jesus' birth, His advent into the world.  And then there are the dreams, and we understand that His protectors and those who recognize Him are the ones who are capable of being warned by God, who heed the voice of the angels, who have the capacity for this kind of discernment and understanding.  The world is populated in these stories not by miraculous perfection, but in the reality of Jesus' picture of weeds and wheat which He will use in His parables (later on in Matthew's Gospel).  From the beginning, our Savior's life is shadowed by evil and forces which malign Him, making His journey difficult and His parents' one of sacrifice and hardship.  There is slaughter and death, and a kind of homelessness which shadows Jesus all of His life, in which He remains in a kind of exile, even rejected by those in His hometown (recorded as Jesus' saying in all four of the Gospels).  This is a story that gives us the reality of the world, populated by those who would use and abuse power and position, who harm the good, and by those who can heed the voice of the good that calls them in all kinds of ways, and suffer for that good.  Can we see our world in His story?  Can we make the sacrifices we may be called to do for the good, for the reality of that Word that calls us in all kinds of ways?  Where does our loyalty lie, and how do we discern where it calls us in ways that no one else hears or knows?  Can we have that kind of faith?

An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt"

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted,

Because they are no more."

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

- Matthew 2:13-23

In yesterday's reading, we read about the three wise men who came from the East, looking for the Child. They came to Jerusalem, the center of Jewish life and worship, and asked, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." King Herod was disturbed when he heard about this, and consulted the experts on prophecy about the Messiah, the chief priests and scribes. They told him that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. Herod told the wise men to search for the Child in Bethlehem, and then to return to tell him about the Child. The wise men found Jesus with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son." My study bible notes that "Egypt is where Israel once took refuge and was made captive. As the Israelites fled from Egypt (Ex. 12:31-42), so Joseph flees into Egypt, by night. It is probable the gifts of the Magi paid for this journey. Some of the first steps of Jesus are taken in exile. This is one of a number of instances in Scripture where God's people must elude civil power in order to do His will." Let us think about what it is to live in exile. We recall that Moses named his child Gershom, meaning stranger or exile, saying, "I have been a stranger in a strange land." The quotation here is from Hosea 11:1. To live in faith in exile, away from community and familiar surroundings, is in some sense to depend solely on God, even to be tried in one's faith, as the early Christian monastics in the desert. Joseph is also a holy person, illumined as were the wise men by a dream.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." My study bible notes that the cruelty of Herod was prefigured at Moses' birth, when Pharoah attempted to kill all the male children in order to destroy the first Israel (Ex. 1:16, 22). This attempt by Herod is referred to by the Church as the slaughter of the Holy Innocents. The quotation from Jeremiah records the people of Jerusalem being led away into exile (Jer. 31:15). Says my study bible, "On their sad pilgrimage to an alien land, they passed Ramah, where Rachel, wife of Jacob, lay buried (1 Sam. 10:2). In his prophecy, Jeremiah pictures Rachel, who had long been dead, weeping even in her tomb for the fate that had befallen the people, her children. Now, the mothers of Bethlehem weep for the slaughter of their children, the Holy Innocents." These children have been regarded historically by the Church as saints and martyrs. "As Rachel was told her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jer. 31:16, 17), so Jesus will return from His exile in Egypt," my study bible adds.

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Once again, we are told of a dream that comes to Joseph, and how he heeds the messages in these dreams. Herod the Great died in 4 B.C. The dating of the Lord's birth, says my study bible, on which the A.D. (Anno Domini, Latin for "in the year of the Lord") calendar is based was off by several years. Archelaus was one son of Herod the Great, and was also known for his cruelty. He was banished by Augustus Caesar to Gaul in A.D. 6, after the Jews petitioned for his removal. So far in Jesus' young life, He has lived through great danger and exile. He is yet again in another kind of exile among strangers, because Joseph fears he cannot return to Judea.

And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene." Another dream gives Joseph warning! The family goes to Galilee, which is a land mixed with both Gentiles and Jews. It is ruled over by yet another son of Herod the Great, Herod Antipas. In some sense, Galilee is a place where they are still among "strangers" - Gentiles. And it is also a place of threatening rule: Herod Antipas will be responsible for the death of John the Baptist, and will also confer with Pilate when Jesus' fate is decided. About the prophecy regarding Nazareth, my study bible says, "The prophecy here cannot be conclusively identified. It has been taken variously as a reference to the Branch (Heb. neser) of Isaiah (Is. 11:1) of to the Nazirite (Heb. nazir) of Judges (Judg. 13:7; see Num. 6:1-21). Or Matthew may be alluding to passages which speak of the Messiah as despised, since Nazareth did not have a good reputation among the Jews (John 1:46). Nazarene later became a designation for followers of Jesus, especially in the Semitic world, although 'Christian' was the more common name." Whatever the connotation, we must understand Nazareth as it was understood in His time, as a town of mixed population, both Gentiles and Jews, far away from Jerusalem and the religious life of the temple there.

So in this passage describing the early years of Jesus' life, we are treated to an understanding of themes of repeated exile, of oppressive rule, and a life among strangers. It is also a life that is in some ways, clearly and even literally "set apart." This is in keeping with a holy purpose, sanctification. It is a life of difficulty, both for Him (we imagine) and certainly for His parents. And the hidden gem in this of course is the love of His earthly father or guardian, Joseph, and His mother, Mary. How they must have suffered for and deeply loved this Child! Joseph, in His great example of love to us, takes on the role of protector of all of them. There is the oppressive rule of Herod the Great, his son Archelaus, and the one to come of Herod Antipas -- all danger encountered for the sake of the Son whom they love. And there is God's help, the help of the Spirit, on which they rely in their exile with no other help -- the dreams given to Joseph, and the warning of the angel in the dream. Like the wise men in yesterday's reading, Joseph's heart is open to spiritual sight and hearing. He can perceive the word of God given to him, the communications of the Spirit, via angelic messenger. Let us consider what this means in our own lives. There may be times we live, in effect, like exiles, when we feel isolated or alone. Perhaps we even have to take steps to protect ourselves. But all can be a time of spiritual discernment, of a fashioning of a deeper reliance on God, in faith. Can we be like Joseph and the wise men, can we hear and perceive a relationship with God? Can we heed the Spirit guiding us in our lives? Are we capable of doing that? More fully we remember the great love that infuses this story. The wise men love the Child, and clearly the parents take on lives that reflect their love, care and protection of Him. They take on danger into their lives for Him. Can we do the same, and love so much, even for His sake?