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 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."  My study Bible points out 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 probable, it adds, 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."   This quotation is from the prophet Hosea (Hosea 11:1).  It refers first to Israel being brought out of captivity.  In the Old Testament, my study Bible explains, "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.   My study Bible tells us that the cruelty of Herod was prefigured by Pharaoh, who, in an attempt to destroy the power of Israel, 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."   The prophet Jeremiah recorded the people of Jerusalem being led away into exile (Jeremiah 31:15).  On their way to captivity, my study Bible says, 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 come to her descendants.  St. Matthew writes that Rachel once again is weeping for her children, and according to my study Bible, it shows 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 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.  According to historical records reported by my study Bible, Herod the Great died in 4 BC.  So, the date of Christ's birth on our 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 cites Augustus Caesar having banished Archelaus for his cruelty in AD 6.  This cruelty, it says, was revealed as a warning to Joseph, hence the detour to Nazareth.  This town was in Galilee, and governed by a different son of Herod the Great, whose name was Herod Antipas (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 tells us that this prophecy cannot be precisely identified.  It has been taken as a reference to the rod (Hebrew neser) in Isaiah 11:1, and to the Nazritie (Hebrew Nazir) of Judges 13:5.   It says that St. Matthew might also have been alluding to passages in which the Messiah was despised, since Nazareth did not have a good reputation (John 1:46).  

 

In these early "chapters" of Christ's life, we see that His entry into the world as Human Being was anything but simple and easy.  First of all, His pregnant mother and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for Caesar's census.  This cannot by any means have been an easy journey.  Then, for the Savior of the world, there was no place -- no place to stay and to be born.  So He was born in a cave, used as a barn for animals, where the shepherds, informed by angels, came to adore Him (see Luke 2:1-20).  As we have read so far in St. Matthew's Gospel, the wise men have made their way from Persia to find this Child born under a star which foretold a tremendous identity and destiny.  In Bethlehem they are brought before Herod to tell him about the Child, but they manage to escape Herod when leaving through divine warning in a dream.  This is after they bring Christ their gifts of gold for a King of the ages, frankincense for the God of all, and myrrh for One who is Immortal and yet will be three days dead.  Shortly after, based upon the information he was given by the wise men (or magi), Herod orders the death of all male infants under the age of two years.  But Joseph -- similarly to the wise men -- has been divinely warned in a dream to take the Child to Egypt, and so they must live in exile until King Herod is dead.  Then this holy family returns, but the fear of Archelaus, new ruler of Judea, keeps them from going to Bethlehem, so they turn to Galilee to establish themselves there, where Jesus will be raised.  As my study Bible points out, Jesus will meet with disapproval and suspicion, even contempt, because it will be known that He is from Nazareth, a town which holds little importance in terms of prophesy and spiritual history.  But that, of course, will come from people who do not know that He was born in Bethlehem, the city of King David.  So let us start here, with all of these difficulties, present in simply the first few years of Christ's life.  We should note, too, that they are difficulties for His parents, His mother and earthly guardian Joseph, who take all precautions and take on hardships to protect this Child.  What does it say about the Incarnation story?  If you and I were writing a story about the King of all, the Lord of the universe, come into the world and born on planet earth in the form of a helpless baby, what would we write?  Could we even imagine these difficulties?  Would we write such a story of exile, of being despised and being hunted?  Would we invent a story of the wise men who come to honor Him but who are also in mortal danger for doing so, and must leave the country by evading King Herod?  I hardly think so, for our ideas about majesty and grandeur are not compatible with God's plans and the truth of the Gospels, and indeed, of the whole Bible.  One thing we can say is that most certainly, in His Incarnation, Christ most definitely experiences the dangers of life that we are subject to -- and maybe even more so than most.  Even as an Infant, He's subject to the hatred and envy of those in power and who wish to simply kill Him because He is already a perceived threat.  There are those who come to adore and worship Him, and even His mother knows not simply to marvel, but that she "kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19), the way a loving mother pores repeatedly over pictures at various ages of her child, and landmarks in his childhood kept in a scrapbook.  Mary kept them all in her heart to ponder.   We can only imagine her distress to come after Jesus begins His public ministry.  But this is the story of our Lord.  This is the way that God has sent His Son into the world -- not to have an easy, simple, or comfortable life, but to share our fears, our dangers, our woes, our worries.  He shares our vulnerability to abusive power, to coercive military might, to cruelty, and to death.  He shares everything we share in a world beset by the effects of sin with which we cope every day, and the ongoing hatreds, lies, envy, injustice, and vicious behaviors we know and may experience.  He is also born into a world beset by temptations and the malice of demons, but that will become a special hallmark of His presence -- effects that will become immediately discernible to people once His public ministry starts.  But as we go on to read about Christ's life, let us first take a minute to consider these dangers and fears that we all experience that are already borne in upon Christ, even as a little Child.  Let us consider the sacrifices and love of His parents, and know that God's plan was not for worldly greatness, but for something quite different.  And in this inclusion in our subjection to the same difficulties and dangers, let us know that this is shared with us so that we are also born into a mission if we are His followers.  He did not come to be treated "like a King" but to show courage against the adversary, to teach us His way, give us His light and the Holy Spirit, so that we bring in a Kingdom into this world that is His together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  We are invited to share in a mission with Him.  And when we face a world shaken by senseless violence, malicious hatreds, cruelty that we can't imagine, and a host of evils and effects that frighten and terrify, He has been here with us and this is somehow, in ways we can't imagine, a part of the plan.  Midst all this strife and even senseless things to our minds, we  have a role to play, something important to do, and the salvation of the world even perhaps depends upon it.  There have been countless saints, martyrs, confessors, and unknown faithful who have lost their lives and faced perils for the sake of His name and His gospel.  Let us take up His mission and know the power of His Cross, the courage that He gives, the strength of His truth, and the meaning even in His suffering and that of those who follow.  For God's ways are not our ways, nor God's thoughts our thoughts, but His Kingdom is ours when we meet Him at His Cross, and carry our own His way. Nothing we know of in history has had the impact of Christ and His followers upon the world; let us continue to seek His way with prayer and through the living faith He teaches.  And remember that even the sparrows are known to Him, even the hairs of our head (Matthew 10:29-31).

 

 

 

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 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 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 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 notes here that Egypt is the place 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, in a similar sense, Christ's stepfather Joseph finds safety for the Savior in Egypt.  It is likely, my study Bible adds, that the gifts of the magi paid for this journey (see yesterday's reading, 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."  This quotation is from Hosea 11:1, and it refers first to Israel being brought out of captivity.  In the Old Testament, my study Bible explains, "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.

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.  In another manifestation of Jesus as true Son embodying Israel, my study Bible suggests that the cruelty of Herod was prefigured by Pharaoh.  In an attempt to destroy the power of Israel, Pharaoh 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."  The prophet Jeremiah recorded the people of Israel being led away to exile (Jeremiah 31:15).  On their way to captivity, the people passed Ramah, which was near Bethlehem, where Jacob's wife Rachel was buried.  In Jeremiah's prophecy, he envisioned Rachel, even from the grave, moved with compassion for the fate that had fallen to her descendants.  Here once again Rachel is weeping for her children, which shows that the saints in heaven have awareness and compassion for those who live on earth.  My study Bible tells us that these slaughtered children are known to the Church as saints and martyrs, and called the Holy Innocents.  It notes that 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 cites historical records which tell us that Herod the Great died in 4 BC.  The date of Christ's birth on the AD (Anno Domini, Latin for "year of the Lord") calendar is based is off by four years.   

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 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."  In AD 6, Augustus Caesar banished Archelaus for his cruelty.  This cruelty was revealed to Joseph as a warning, so they went to Nazareth.  Nazareth is in the province of Galilee, which was governed by another son of Herod the Great.  He is Herod Antipas, who would rule Galilee throughout Jesus' lifetime (see Luke 3:1).  Its not clear precisely which prophesy is referred to here.  My study Bible says that it has been taken as a reference to the rod (neser in Hebrew) in Isaiah 11:1, and to the Nazirite (Hebrew Nazir) of Judges 13:5.  It is also possible that Matthew may have been alludin gto passages in which the Messiah was despised, since Nazareth did not have a good reputation (John 1:46). 

 

 As today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross across many Christian denominations, perhaps it is a good idea to tie in today's reading with the feast.  The feast itself commemorates the finding of the Cross in Jerusalem by St. Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine.   For Constantine, the Cross became a symbol of Victory, as given to him in a vision.  But in today's reading, we have a sense of the Cross shadowing Christ's life right from the very beginning, and characterizing the life of His parents who are responsible for Him even when He is still a newborn infant.  From the time He is born, there are those who seek His life.  The Cross that overshadows today's text is the cross of the enemies of God, and those who take on the characteristics of the spiritual enemies of Christ.  St. Paul writes, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  In today's reading, the Cross appears in the guise of persecution that starts with Herod the Great, and those rulers like him who are known for their particular cruelty; for even in a time of ruthless rulers, such was Herod the Great's reputation, as was Archelaus after him, about whom we also read in today's gospel reading.  This young family must flee to Egypt, even as the wise men in yesterday's reading were warned to flee King Herod.  Eventually, even after Herod's death, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus cannot return to Judea (wherein lies Bethlehem where Jesus was born), but go instead to Galilee and the town of Nazareth.  In these actions of persecution, my study Bible has written, we also see Israel itself, having once taken refuge and then fleeing Egypt in its history, giving birth to the story of Moses and the people who struggled to return to the land promised to Abraham.   But on this day of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, it seems that it would be remiss if we did not understand the characteristic persecution of Christians in the light of the Cross.  For Christ comes into the world -- even as an infant -- as One sent against the "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."  He is sent to us as One who is meant to free us from the bondage and influence of such, and His means will be the very Cross itself, the culminating instrument of His persecution and the injustice done to Him.  If we think this is paradoxical, then we are on the right track.  For, as God works in the world, we can only begin to grasp such work as paradox.  The greatest instrument of persecution and death, when touched by Christ, becomes the symbol of our victory, our resurrection, our sharing in Christ's victory over death itself.  And in this, we must come to see the persecutions that work in a way no demonic force, nor those who would be aligned with the methods of the demonic, be capable of grasping.  Those who sought to persecute Christ became known for their cruelties and injustice -- and even the beautiful temple as rebuilt and expanded by Herod would be left without one stone standing upon another within one generation.  Christ's upbringing in an overlooked small town of not much significance in Galilee became a haven of protection so that He could grow to begin His ministry at thirty years of age.  These persecutions and their eventual outcomes -- even of protecting Christ through exile and repatriation away from Judea -- teach us about the power of God and how it works even through our hardships, and there we come again to the Cross, the symbol of our victory in Christ.  In thinking about the threats to Christ and to His family, the care of His guardian Joseph, and of His mother Mary, we should consider the story it tells us about our own times of suffering or difficulty for the sake of our faith.  For the Cross would come to work as a trap for those "rulers of the darkness" and "spiritual hosts of wickedness," for in Christ's humility they could not recognize His power nor the justice that would prevail against them.  We can see today those who ally with the qualities of those powers of wickedness, who believe they gain through ruthlessness and torture, whose faith is not in the strength of God but in material power and tools of manipulation, whose crimes may be hidden for a time but come to light.  For in holding to the Cross of Christ we also work to strengthen and build His work in this world, His kingdom in this world, and that is the purpose for which He was sent.  We are able to participate in His life, and even the work of what He would make the "life-giving" Cross, through God's power at work in the world, through His life, death, and Resurrection.  When we observe the persecutions in His life, and still today in the world, let us not forget where we come from, how we got here, and what we really call the victory of the Cross.   There will be times in our own lives when we find ourselves in a necessary exile, or enduring persecution for our faith in one form or another.  But we look to the Cross, for we know its purpose and its victory in 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.

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?

Let Him be crucified!

 Now Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"  But He answered not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to the, "Whom do you want me to release to you?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"  Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"  They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"  Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"

- Matthew 27:11-23

Yesterday, we read that when morning came, after the Sanhedrin's night trial, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.  And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.  Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."  And they said, "What is that to us?  You see to it!"  Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.  But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood."  And they consulted together and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.  Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."

  Now Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"  But He answered not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.  My study bible notes here:  "The chief priests hide their real charge against Jesus -- the claim of equality with God -- because this would not persuade the governor to sentence Him to death.  Instead, they present a charge of treason -- that Jesus called Himself the King of the Jews.  This crime would carry the death penalty, for it was a challenge to Roman rule."

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to the, "Whom do you want me to release to you?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"  Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"  They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"  Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"  My study bible points out that, while Jesus is the true Son of the Father, here the name Barabbas means "son of the father."  Ironically, it notes, the crowds now must choose between one Son of the Father and the other.  It says, that by influencing the crowds to choose Barabbas, the chief priests indicate to which father they belong (see John 8:44).

So what do we have here?  It's an odd -- not to say, completely crazy -- picture of a world that is in reverse, or upside-down, however we could characterize it.  The NU text, which uses fragments of Alexandrian texts as opposed to the traditional Byzantine Greek texts, even uses "Jesus Barabbas,"  although even ancient scholars (Origen) raise doubts about the use of the name Jesus here.  So, the Son is the one in chains, before the governor, on charges that He called Himself, "King of the Jews."  This is Jesus, who, in John's gospel, has refused to be forced to be made a king.  In our eyes, perhaps, we would say that the Lord of the Universe is bound in chains to be judged by the Roman Governor, Pilate.  And at the same time, the crowd wants to set free Barabbas, another "son of the father."  And who is Barabbas?  In Matthew we are told he is a "notorious" prisoner.  Elsewhere he's named with a word for "bandit" which was used to describe revolutionaries.  Mark and Luke suggest Barabbas was involved in a riot, perhaps a sort of insurrection.  At any rate, we have here a violent man, perhaps one who wishes to bring about a "kingdom" of the Jews in the revolutionary, violent sense, overthrowing the Romans in this way.  And then there is Jesus who brings a different kind of Kingdom into the world.  It clearly has other "rules" than the sword of insurrection to create a physical kingdom, as led by Jesus of Nazareth.  He's the One who entered Jerusalem one week earlier, riding on a donkey.  This is the Man who preached the Beatitudes in His most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, given to us in fullness in Matthew's gospel.  The Beatitudes also teach about a world that sees "upside down" in some sense.  We're told that those who mourn are blessed, that those who are poor in spirit are blessed, and indeed, that those who are meek are blessed -- that it is they who will inherit the earth.  Jesus is no revolutionary bandit; His Kingdom and His preaching are not about an immediate grasp of material power, but teach about endurance, forbearance, the strength of love, even turning the other cheek.  His disciples are taught to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.  So, in some way, this picture of this crisis point gives us our picture of the world, because we are always asked to make this choice.  Are we to be stirred up by people who would be populist leaders, in the name of some sort of immediate gratification of a thirst for power or movement?  Are we to be mobilized through deceit and lies, intended to make a scapegoat of others?  Are there demagogues among us?  These are choices that, in some sense, we are offered every day.  It's greatly telling that Pilate's wife had a dream about "this just man."  This pagan woman has glimpses of the heart, of the thing that is within us all, even those who may have never heard the name of Christ.  (See Romans 2:14-16.)  With Jesus standing before Pilate, the governor understands the envy behind the charge; after all, he's a political man in a world of politics and power.  But everything is upside down here, and the power of a stirred up crowd takes its toll, as it well may do anywhere today.  This is especially true when laws are ignored in favor of what is seemingly a popular choice or one made through political pressure.  So, it really breaks down into two deep choices:  do we listen to the heart, to the good that we know, even what has been enshrined in the law for the sake of justice?  Or do we go with what looks expedient, by manipulation, by force, and all kinds of pressure?  It's up to you and it's up to me, to all of us.  Prayer is a refuge, where we find what we need, even as we appeal to this bound and sentenced Prisoner.  There are countless numbers of times we may see this scene played out again in history, with other players in the roles -- maybe in the present right now when we look around.  But He was there first, for us, to show us the way out of this thinking of an upside down world, where we may not know how to choose of ourselves, where hypocrisy means we can't judge by any appearance.  Jesus prepares us for a complex world, one set in spiritual battle, not a simple and easy picture of life -- but one in which truth becomes the one thing we really need to be truly free  (John 8:32).

St. Joseph - And he called His name Jesus

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us." Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

- Matthew 1:18-25

For the remainder of this week, and through next week, the readings in the lectionary will vary through the Gospel of John. Some will repeat from other recent readings. I have made some selections of text relevant to Christmastide and the feast days included in the current period of time. Beginning on Monday, January 10, 2011 the lectionary will take us through the Gospel of Mark. Today's reading focuses on Joseph, the husband of Mary and human "father" or stepfather of Jesus.

Prior to today's selection, in Matthew's Gospel, we are given a genealogy of Jesus' forbears, from Abraham to David, to the captivity in Babylon, until the birth of Christ. The genealogy leads us to the birth of Jesus through Joseph, the husband of Mary, as the descendant of Abraham and David. So, according to Matthew's Gospel, it is through Joseph that Jesus is also called "Son of David."

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. My study bible has a note here that draws us to Joseph's character: "Joseph's righteousness -- the righteousness of mercy, which transcends the Law -- is seen in his unwillingness to expose Mary's supposed sin. Under Mosaic Law, betrothal involves almost the same commitment as marriage. Joseph cannot help but suspect a violation of divine law when he sees his betrothed pregnant. Although obliged by law to report the misconduct, he decides to put her away secretly." We have a charming and interesting parallel here with the lectionary text for today, the reading of the woman taken in adultery. (See reading and commentary for December 8, 2010, He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.) We see from the beginning of Joseph's life as husband to Mary the character of mercy that shapes Jesus' human "foster father." Mercy involves so much more than the simple understanding of kindness or generosity. It also involves the sympathy that allows us to perceive from another's point of view. Thus Joseph expresses his love and his good character, his unwillingness to expose Mary to shame and public scandal. Can we see, then, in Jesus' relationship to women throughout the Gospels, the character of his paternal steward, St. Joseph? What a wonderful human father through which to begin the story of Jesus' birth, a just, kind and loving man who practices righteousness in his concern to choose wisely for all concerned. This is Josephs' first intention.

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. A note here reads, "An angel (or "messenger") of the Lord dispels the false reasoning of Joseph by announcing the utterly unreasonable: the pregnancy of the virgin is by the Holy Spirit. since being born of a virgin proves Jesus' divinity, only the revelation of God, in this case a dream (see also 2:12-13, 19, 22; 27:19), could serve as adequate evidence of this miraculous conception." It continues, "The Bible calls engaged couples husband and wife before their marriage. Just as Rachel was called the wife of Jacob before marriage, because of her betrothal (Gen. 29:21; see also Deut. 20:7; 22:23-24), so Joseph is called the 'husband' of Mary (v. 19) and Mary is called the wife of Joseph." As we observed in yesterday's reading and commentary on The Holy Innocents, events surrounding Jesus' birth are defined by actions of grace - messages that come through dreams, via prophecy, and the annunciation of angels. In this case, we link Joseph's kindness and righteousness with his willingness to accept the word of the Spirit through a dream and the message of the angel. In my view, the text teaches us that the two work hand in hand; first there is Joseph's own inclination and decision for mercy, and then the acceptance of the message of the angel, grace working through a dream.

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: . . . A note tells us: "Here is the first of Matthew's repeated uses of the formula that it might be fulfilled which was spoken (see also 2:15, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:35). The fulfillment of these prophecies not only underscores the intervention of God in history but also indicates His beginning the new creation." We really must understand at this point that this story is no mere historical repetition of events that happened on a date in the past. This is a story of grace, of God working through our world. It is a story of prophecy, dreams, angelic messengers -- all of which convey to and through the people involved the word of God, and the holy at work in the world. Through these people, such as St. Joseph, God works -- to lead, to advise, to teach. It is a story of grace threading through all the lives involved, and throughout the history of God's work in the world, to us today and in our lives.

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us." Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, . . . A note here reads, "The conception of Jesus fulfills Is. 7:14 in the Septuagint, where we are told that a virgin (Gr. parthenos) will conceive and bear a Son. He who is conceived in her is not a new Person coming into existence but the eternal Son of God, using her womb as His throne. The virginal conception through the Holy Spirit and the name of the incarnate Son, Immanuel, God with us, are clear declarations of Jesus' divinity." "God with us" -- indeed, this is truly a story of God with us, and God is with us in so many ways. The grace through which Joseph receives the word of the angel in a dream is "God with us." And Joseph chooses to accept that grace, he accepts and obeys what he is told, in faith. So, here we have a picture of a complete man, fit to be caretaker and human "father" to our Lord: a just and merciful and compassionate man, whose choice is for the good of all, and who works with the grace that appears in his life, through faith.

. . . and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS. My study bible says that "this verse does not imply that Joseph did know Mary after Jesus birth. Firstborn means having been born first and never implies the birth of others." Whatever this verse is considered to mean regarding Mary and other children, it tells us one thing most powerfully about Joseph: that he was obedient to the word of the Lord that was given to him through the angel. In faith, he accepted the spiritual reality of grace in this story, the nature of the Child, and the special role of His mother.

Could we do the same in our lives as St. Joseph? Regardless of what one may conjecture about the historical probability of this story, or the truly astounding quality of the news borne by the angel to Joseph, let us consider the workings of grace in our lives, and the way faith allows us to be open to that grace. We have two distinct elements of Joseph's character shown to us here: his natural personal choice to live a righteous life and all that means of mercy, sympathy, and decisions that are best for all -- and the receipt of the actions of grace in his life, the messages that come through a dream, via an angel, and his ability to understand and accept and follow through in faith. We may conjecture all we want to about what may seem to our daily sensibilities a preposterous suggestion, about Joseph's feelings as betrothed of Mary, but we are faced with a text that tells us of extraordinary events -- and the extraordinary, in anyone's life and in any form, presents a person with extraordinary choices for response. Let us take, then, the image of this father and husband, fit to be foster father to our Lord in His earthly life, and take the image of the father that it gives us for each of our lives, no matter how much less "extraordinary", and accept what it is to be a man who lives a truly righteous life: his kindness and compassion, his sympathy, his instincts to choose what is best for all, and his acceptance in the face of grace, his capacity for faith. I believe I am privileged to know men in my own life who embody these qualities. Would that we all could aspire to be like St. Joseph, the man through whom Jesus' Davidic lineage descends, the man called to care for this young bride who is pregnant. Joseph gives us the image of earthly father so needed in our world, and so loved. We are reminded that such men need not be biological parents - and that spiritual children and loved ones come in many forms, and come to us through God's grace.

The Holy Innocents

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."

- Matthew 2:13-18

Today is the feast of the Holy Innocents, and the lectionary gives us this reading for its commemoration. (The feast day is pulled forward a day this year because the feast of St. Stephen, the protomartyr of Christianity, was commemorated on Sunday.)

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, . . . My study bible has a note here which reads: "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." I think there are a number of things to note in this passage. In the readings that tell us of events surrounding Jesus' birth, there are many "mysterious ways" in which the God's grace works to send messages to people who are instrumental in this story. In today's reading, a dream is given to Joseph to warn him. Just as the Annunciation to Mary, and Gabriel's appearance to Zacharias, there is an angel at work to send a message, who appears in Joseph's dream. I think the point made by the note in my study bible is crucial to our understanding of all the events surrounding Jesus' birth: our Savior is not born in easy circumstances. Rather, His birth is surrounded with difficulties. He is "God with us" not in a palace or an easy life, but "with us" in all the turmoils we may see in the world, and "with us" in our suffering under the evil and imperfections of earthly life and the burdens and struggles we have to bear because of it. This Holy Innocent and His family must flee by night, as if they are criminals, because of the whims of the powerful and the unjust.

. . . 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." A note here reads, "Out of Egypt I called My Son refers to Israel in Hos. 11:1 (see Ex. 4:22; Num. 23:21-22; 24:5-8). 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." The notion of the persecution of innocents is a highly important spiritual understanding that teaches us about the world. In the Bible, the Holy Books of the Church, including the Old Testament, we are witness to a story about the persecution of innocents in this world. It is an important understanding, an addition to the comprehension of our place in the world, to see the persecution of the innocent by civil authority. It ties us to notions of power and its abuses that we, as "a holy people" must recognize. The work of Rene Girard, a professor who pioneered a reading of these texts as contrasted to the pagan mythologies in precisely this dimension, is quite important to our understanding of violence and the difference of its portrayal in the mythologies and in our Scripture. The Scriptures teach us insights about the persecution of the innocent through the whims associated with power, and give us an understanding and depth necessary to our perception of our place in the world as children of a loving and just God.

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. A note here reads, "The cruelty of Herod was prefigured at Moses' birth, when Pharaoh attempted to kill all the male children in order to destroy the first Israel (Ex. 1:16, 22)." I think it's important that my study bible ties in all the scripture in the Old and the New Testaments -- this story and Israel's story. Speaking for myself, it's not only a reflection of Christ as Israel, but of all the "people of God" in the world. The picture of innocents suffering by the whims of the selfish and the powerful is for all of us to understand so that we may consider our choices, and choose wisely when confronted with our own dilemmas in life. Do we consider justice when we make those choices? The traditional elements that form our own temptations make up one side of this equation: jealousy, greed, selfish ambition, arrogance, and an image of ourselves as all-powerful. This is a kind of imitation of an archetypal sin - desiring to see in ourselves the quality of omnipotence that belongs to God.

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." A note in my study bible says that "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 (v. 18), 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, who are regarded 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."

The children of Bethlehem are murdered for the sake of the King of whom Herod learned from the wise men who visited him, as they sought that King. Such is the story of sheer selfish power, used only in consideration of ambition untempered by an understanding of higher authority than that of earthly rulers. Let us consider the slaughter of the Holy Innocents. Historians teach that this sort of behavior was not out of the ordinary for Herod, considered a harsh ruler even by contemporary standards. But what we learn from this passage is not merely a history lesson, it is a lesson in the spiritual understanding of the world in which we live, and our place in it through our own choices. What does it mean to hurt an innocent child in the pursuit of blind ambition and material power? How do we understand what we do without God? Without the spiritual or the holy in our lives? We see the acts of grace that protect the innocent and shape our story through Scripture. There is an active spiritual hand at work, through dreams, through the messengers of heaven - the angels, through prophecy, and even through the wisdom of the "wise men" who learn from the stars. So we take one important lesson out of so many available to us in this reading and its understanding in the whole of the Scripture of Israel, or the people of God: how do the acts of grace work in your life? Are you open to them, or does your own ambition blind you to the Spirit's work? Where is the Spirit in your life and does it guide you in making your choices? We live in a world, as pictured here, in which the effects of a life "without God" make us blind to what God would want for us, the ways in which God would help us to choose. How do you include grace, kindness and mercy in your life? Do you make room for the sight of spiritual perception? Let us consider today grace, and its qualities with which we, too, may be anointed. God's salvation, we believe, comes to us in the form of this Child, this Innocent. Let us consider Herod - the evil image even amid a time of great power used ruthlessly. And consider again, the grace of God that comes via this Child. Which wisdom do we choose to honor in our own lives? Whose wisdom is ours, and for what purposes? We make our choices asking for that grace, and its saving power, so that it is at work in our world, through us. What might we be without it?