Sometimes God sends us to unexpected places. Sometimes God takes us on adventures that are definitely not on our own dream lists. Sometimes it is necessary for us to just escape whatever: abuse, bad relationships, a stressful job, immorality, temptation, betrayal, etc. Today’s gospel is the Holy Family’s escape to Egypt, which has always been a fascination of mine because we really know nothing about their time in Egypt. I’m so curious about it. Did elementary school Jesus get to go see the pyramids on his field trips? Okay, I digress, back to the gospel. I think it is a beautiful testament that Joseph received God’s word to flee, making it clear that the adopted father of Jesus was all in, and ready to do whatever it took to nurture the Savior of the world. He received the word and responded immediately taking them by night. What courage and what faith to embark on such an epic journey with your wife and new baby! How courageous and faithful am I when God calls me in the night to do wild things? Do I respond immediately to the promptings of the Spirit, or do I spend time in doubt waiting for the prompting to go away? Joseph shows us that following God’s will without hesitation is indeed life saving.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the magi (or wise guys) simply went home another way so as to avoid Herod, who was, of course, insane. They had just encountered glory and they had no choice but to go another way. When we have encountered Jesus in a real way, we must change our ways. We cannot continue living the same life we were before meeting him. Experiencing Jesus transforms our plans and leads us away from destruction. And these wise guys didn’t even have a real relationship with him; they simply spent moments in adoration and brought him gifts. How much more transformed can we be if we spend time in adoration, bring him our gifts, AND have a personal daily relationship with him?
Unfortunately, Jesus’ power and influence, even as an infant, incited evil Herod to massacre thousands of baby boys within the region. Even today, the enemy continues to resist the force of love that comes with faith in Christ, and the good news is that we have power and authority in Jesus to fight against it. If we align ourselves with the will of God, like Joseph, and if we change our way, like the magi, we will participate in nurturing the presence of the Savior among us. Both Joseph and the magi remind us that Jesus came to touch and save all. Let’s take some time today to listen to the voice of God. Where is He leading you? Is there something in your life that you need to escape? Let’s take some time today to simply adore Jesus for coming into our lives. What gifts can you offer him today? May we escape the things of this world and go another way, led by faith, and empowered by Christ, and it is well with my soul.
Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Lectionary: 698
Reading 1 1 JN 1:5—2:2
Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, “We have fellowship with him,”
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, “We are without sin,”
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, “We have fellowship with him,”
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, “We are without sin,”
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
Responsorial Psalm PS 124:2-3, 4-5, 7CD-8
R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Had not the LORD been with us—
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Had not the LORD been with us—
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Alleluia See Te Deum
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 2:13-18
When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.
No comments:
Post a Comment