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.

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?

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?