Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Lectionary: 17
Lectionary: 17
God sets a father
in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
Responsorial PsalmPS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (cf. 1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk
in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Reading 2COL 3:12-21
Brothers and
sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.
Brothers and
sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
GospelMT 2:13-15, 19-23
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 had died, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream
to Joseph in Egypt and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel,
for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
He rose, took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
in place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream,
he departed for the region of Galilee.
He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth,
so that what had been spoken through the prophets
might be fulfilled,
He shall be called a Nazorean.
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 had died, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream
to Joseph in Egypt and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel,
for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
He rose, took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
in place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream,
he departed for the region of Galilee.
He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth,
so that what had been spoken through the prophets
might be fulfilled,
He shall be called a Nazorean.
Scripture Study
December 29, 2013 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
This Sunday, also called the Sunday in the Octave of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family. Having spent four Sundays and most of December preparing for Christmas the Lectionary (book of readings) insists on holding onto Christmas for longer than the one day that the secular world keeps. Liturgically the Christmas season lasts from the evening prayer on Christmas Eve until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which this year is on January 13, 2002. During this time the readings focus on different aspects of the Christmas event.
First Reading: Sirach 3: 2-7, 12-14
2 For the LORD sets a father in honor over his children; a mother's authority he confirms over her sons. 3 He who honors his father atones for sins; 4 he stores up riches who reveres his mother. 5 He who honors his father is gladdened by children, and when he prays he is heard. 6 He who reveres his father will live a long life; he obeys the LORD who brings comfort to his mother. 12 My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. 13 Even if his mind fail, be considerate with him; revile him not in the fullness of your strength. 14 For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, it will serve as a sin offering--it will take lasting root.
NOTES on First Reading:
* 3:2-9 Here the writer enjoins special duties toward others on us, such as honor and respect toward parents, with corresponding blessings.
* 3:10-13 According to the sage this respect is due even to old and infirm parents.
* 3:14(and 15 which is not part of the reading) Through it, the sins of the children are pardoned. In the next verse (16) failure to render respect to parents is equated with blasphemy and merits a curse from God. See also Exodus 20:12, 21:17; Deut 5:16; Tobit 4:3-4; Prov 1:8, 20:20; Matt 15:3-6; Eph 6:2-3.
Second Reading: Colossians 3:12-21 (Shortened version is 3: 12-17)
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. 14 And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 3:12-17 We are not only to do no harm to anyone, but to do what good we can to all. The elect of God are holy and beloved, and ought to be humble and compassionate towards all.
* 3:16 These inspired songs are probably charismatic improvisations provided by the Holy Spirit during liturgical assemblies. Instead of "the word of Christ" the earliest version of this may have read simply, "the Word".
* 3:18 Paul gives a general standard of behavior here. The next few verses provide specific ways in which individuals will be challenged to live out this general principle. The attitude of constant thanksgiving to the Father through Christ is characteristic of one who follows Jesus.
* 3:18-4:1 Paul here follows one of the common literary conventions of the day. It was a common practice of that time for morality writers to list the duties and responsibilities of various members of a society or of a family. A similar listing of duties is found in Eph 5:21-6:9; Col 3:18-4:1 and 1 Peter 2:18-3:7. One of the common criticisms of Christianity in those days was that it caused rebellion and disregard for authority by splitting households around the issue of religion. Pagans saw it as a threat to the structures of society and a danger to the stability of the home and the empire. The advice Paul gives is pretty much in line with the roles established by pagan society. He is faced with society as it was in the first century so he advised each member of that society to live out his/her role but to do it "in the Lord". While the outward appearances might not seem much different, the motivation and guiding spirit of the actions were to be based in Christ. So then, the wife submits not because society forces her to but to further the interests of "the kingdom". Just as Christ used His authority over the church to save her and bring her to the Father, the husband is to use the authority that society gives him over his family, not to dominate and seek his own selfish satisfaction but rather to aid in the salvation and spiritual development of his family and household.
* 3:18 The Greek word used here is "hupotasso", a Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it came to mean "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden". Thus the wife willingly places herself in this relationship with her husband not because of his virtues or superiority but in order to further the manifestation of "the Kingdom" in the world. Paul further develops the view of marriage upon which this injunction is based in Eph 5:21-33. Similar views are found in 1 Peter 3:1-7.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23
13 When they 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." 14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. 15 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."
19 When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." 21 He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. 23 He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean."
NOTES on Gospel Reading:
* 2:13-23 Both biblical and nonbiblical traditions about Moses are applied to the child Jesus, here, even though the dominant Old Testament type is really Israel and not Moses (Matthew 2:15).
* 2:13 Although Egypt was a traditional place of refuge for those fleeing from danger in Palestine (see 1 Kings 11:40; Jer 26:21), the more important reason why the Child is to be taken to Egypt is so that He may relive the Exodus experience of Israel.
* 2:15 Matthew, here takes a citation from Hosea 11:1. Israel was seen as God's son called out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus. Now Jesus, the Son of God, will also be called out of Egypt in a new exodus. The father-son relationship between God and the nation of Israel is set in a higher key. This time the son is not a group of people adopted as "son of God," but the Child who, as conceived by the Holy Spirit, stands in unique relation to God. He is Son of David and of Abraham, of Mary and of Joseph, but, above all, He is Son of God.
* 2:20 Compare the language here:"...for those who sought the child's life are dead" with the language used to tell Moses who had fled from Egypt because the Pharaoh sought to kill him (Exodus 2:15) that he should return "for all the men who sought your life are dead." (Exodus 4:19).
* 2:22 This refers to Archelaus who with the agreement of the Emperor Augustus, received half of his father's kingdom, including Judea, after Herod's death. He had the title "ethnarch" ("ruler of a nation") and reigned from 4 B.C. to A.D. 6.
* 2:23 Even as early as the writing of this gospel the tradition of Jesus' residence in Nazareth was already firmly established. Matthew sees it as being in accordance with the preannounced plan of God. There is a difficulty however in that the town of Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, and no such prophecy can be found there. The vague expression "through the prophets" may be due to Matthew's seeing a connection between Nazareth and certain texts in which there are words with a remote similarity to the name of that town. Some such Old Testament texts are Isaiah 11:1 where the Davidic king of the future is called "a bud" (neser) that shall blossom from the roots of Jesse, and Jdgs 13:5,7 where Samson, the future deliverer of Israel from the Philistines, is called one who shall be consecrated (a nazir) to God. Some have interpreted this statement as referring to the Nazarite vow.
Joseph probably was aware of the recent establishment of a Roman garrison (Sepphoris) a short distance away from Nazareth and the building boom that resulted in a great demand for construction workers including carpenters. The workers for this effort came from Nazareth. This working for the Romans by many of the people of the town may be one of the reasons that the people of Nazareth were looked down on by many of their more pious brothers and sisters in Judea (John 1:46).
Meditation: "An angel of the Lord appeared to
Joseph in a dream"
Like all godly Jewish
parents, Joseph and Mary raised the child Jesus in the reverence and wisdom of
the Lord. Joseph was given a unique task as the guardian and protector of Mary
and of Jesus. What can we learn from the example and witness of Joseph? Joseph
is a man of God, a man of unquestioning obedience and willing service. He
is a man of prayer and a man of God's word. Through faith he recognized the hand
of God in the mystery of the Incarnation — the Son of God taking flesh as the
son of the virgin Mary. Joseph is a man of action, diligent in the care of his
family and ready to do the Lord's bidding. Joseph fearlessly set aside his own
plans when God called him to "take to the road" and to leave his
familiar surroundings — his home, friends and relatives, and the security of
his livelihood in order to pursue a hidden mission God entrusted to him as the
guardian of the newborn King.
God has a plan for each one of us. With the plan God gives grace
and the assurance of his guiding hand and care. Do you trust your heavenly
Father for his plan for your life? Are you willing to sacrifice your own plans
for the sake of God's plan? Are you willing to give God unquestioning service
and to pursue whatever mission he gives you?
"Lord Jesus, make me a faithful servant of your word and
guardian of your truth. Help me to obey you willingly, like Joseph and Mary,
with unquestioning trust and with joyful hope."
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God’s Secret in Our
Own Back Yard
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Feast of the Holy
Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
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Matthew 2:13-15,
19-23
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."
When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to
Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to
the land of Israel, for those who sought the child´s life are dead." He
rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when
he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he
departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called
Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be
fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you are my friend, my Father,
and my protector. I come to you on this new day confident in your presence. I
renew my love for you, trusting in your guiding hand.
Petition: Help me to encounter you more deeply in this
moment. Help me to encounter you more deeply in those around me.
1. We Are Often Not Worthy of Those around
Us: In God’s plan, the
family is a mystery of love.Today we celebrate the gift of love that we
experience so often within the family. Here God shows us the way each member
of the family contributes to the working of God in our lives, how he helps us
experience his closeness and protection through the closeness and intimacy of
family relations. We can think how proud Mary was to have a husband like St.
Joseph, a man who was so strong and loving, and yet so unassuming and humble
he was willing to risk everything to protect her and Jesus. We can think of
the tremendous respect and awe that St. Joseph had for the beauty of Mary’s
heart and for God’s entrustment to him of these two most special people,
Jesus and Mary. Do I show this wonder and awe at the goodness of those around
me, especially in my family?
2. God’s Plan of Salvation Passes through
the Family: Is there anything
more natural to man than the family? Yet we discover today in a special way
that God accomplishes his plan of salvation so often through the quiet,
hidden love of the family. The sacrifices that its members makes for each
other open them to be instruments of God’s grace and love for the wider
family that God wants to build in the world. We have good news about the
family! In this school of love and sacrifice God prepares his missionaries
for the salvation of the world. Do I strive to learn anew each day to be an
instrument of God’s love for others in my family? Do I make my family a
school of evangelization through my imitating Christ’s virtues there and
building up a culture of life inside and outside my family?
3. “He Shall Be Called a Nazorean”: Nazareth was not the most likely place to
find the Messiah, and yet that is exactly where God wanted to be. Do I
sometimes think that my family cannot be a place where God is truly present,
because I so easily notice the defects of my spouse, children, parents and
relatives? Am I able to wonder at the work that God is quietly accomplishing
in these real, limited, yet amazing people around me? The Church is also my
family. Do I sometimes criticize the failings of others in the Church rather
than build her up, or do I focus on the positive, using my energy to help in
the new evangelization rather than wasting it on complaining?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, thank you for making the family your
home. Help me learn from you, Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph, to live for others.
Thank you for showing me the power of your grace working through the
concrete, sometimes difficult circumstances of my family. Help me to build up
love in my family and in the family of the Church.
Resolution:I will make a special effort today to say at
least one positive thing about each member of my family.
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, FEAST OF THE HOLY
FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH, MATTHEW 2:13-15, 19-23
(Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Psalm 128; Colossians 3:12-21)
KEY VERSE: "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt and stay there until I tell you" (v 13).
READING: Because of his skill in interpreting dreams, the patriarch Joseph rose to prominence in the service of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt (Gn 41:46). In Egypt, Joseph saved his whole family from starvation (47:12). Later, Moses, the great lawgiver, fled from Egypt because of the Pharaoh's wrath. When those who sought Moses' life were dead, the Lord told him to return to Egypt and lead his people to freedom (Ex 4:19). Matthew cites the Holy Family's flight to Egypt to show that Jesus relived Israel's deliverance in the Exodus in fulfillment of the prophecy,"Out of Egypt I called my son" (Hos 11:1; Mt 2:15). When King Herod died, an angel told Joseph to return to Israel. Joseph was afraid to go to Judea since Herod's son Archelaus now ruled half of the kingdom with the same cruelty of his father. So Joseph took his family to Nazareth, an obscure village in Galilee in the "land of the Gentiles." Isaiah prophesied that it was in this region that a "great light" was destined to arise (Is 8:23).
REFLECTING: In what ways is the Holy Family a model for my family?
PRAYING: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for the deliverance of all who live in fear for their lives.
Happy are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways
‘Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt.’Matthew’s gospel, written for a Jewish Christian audience, draws parallels between Jesus and people like Moses who figure prominently in the Hebrew Scriptures. Both Jesus and Moses are saved as infants from death at the hands of a tyrant; both proclaim God’s law on a mountain; both are intercessors for their people; and both are called up out of Egypt. We might say that Jesus identifies with his people by re-living the most significant events of their story - especially the Exodus. Obedient to God’s will, and walking in his ways, Joseph had an important role in Jesus’ saving mission and so do we. The story is still being written. Lord, help me to hear your voice and to respond generously to what you ask of me.
December 29
St. Thomas Becket
(1118-1170)
St. Thomas Becket
(1118-1170)
A strong man who wavered for a moment, but then learned one cannot
come to terms with evil and so became a strong churchman, a martyr and a
saint—that was Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his
cathedral on December 29, 1170.
His
career had been a stormy one. While archdeacon of Canterbury, he was made
chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. When Henry
felt it advantageous to make his chancellor the archbishop of Canterbury,
Thomas gave him fair warning: he might not accept all of Henry’s intrusions
into Church affairs. Nevertheless, he was made archbishop (1162), resigned his
chancellorship and reformed his whole way of life!
Troubles
began. Henry insisted upon usurping Church rights. At one time, supposing some
conciliatory action possible, Thomas came close to compromise. He momentarily
approved the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have denied the clergy the
right of trial by a Church court and prevented them from making direct appeal
to Rome. But Thomas rejected the Constitutions, fled to France for safety and
remained in exile for seven years. When he returned to England, he suspected it
would mean certain death. Because Thomas refused to remit censures he had
placed upon bishops favored by the king, Henry cried out in a rage, “Will no
one rid me of this troublesome priest!” Four knights, taking his words as his
wish, slew Thomas in the Canterbury cathedral.
Thomas
Becket remains a hero-saint down to our own times.
Comment:
No one becomes a saint without struggle, especially with himself. Thomas knew he must stand firm in defense of truth and right, even at the cost of his life. We also must take a stand in the face of pressures—against dishonesty, deceit, destruction of life—at the cost of popularity, convenience, promotion and even greater goods.
No one becomes a saint without struggle, especially with himself. Thomas knew he must stand firm in defense of truth and right, even at the cost of his life. We also must take a stand in the face of pressures—against dishonesty, deceit, destruction of life—at the cost of popularity, convenience, promotion and even greater goods.
Quote:
In T.S. Eliot's powerful drama, Murder in the Cathedral, Becket faces a final temptation to seek martyrdom for earthly glory and revenge. With real insight into his life situation, Thomas responds: "The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason."
In T.S. Eliot's powerful drama, Murder in the Cathedral, Becket faces a final temptation to seek martyrdom for earthly glory and revenge. With real insight into his life situation, Thomas responds: "The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason."
LECTIO DIVINA:
THE HOLY FAMILY (A)
Lectio:
Sunday, December 29, 2013
The flight into Egypt and the return to Nazareth
Matthew 2:13-23
Matthew 2:13-23
1. LECTIO
a) Opening prayer:
God, our Creator and Father, you decreed that your Son,
generated before the dawn of the world, should be like us in all things through
his incarnation in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the working of the Holy
Spirit. Send that same life-giving Spirit upon us, so that we may become ever
more docile to your sanctifying action, allowing ourselves to be gently
transformed by the same Spirit into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ your
Son, our brother, saviour and redeemer.
b) A reading from the Gospel of Matthew:
13 After they had
left, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
'Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and
stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and
do away with him.' 14 So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother
with him, left that night for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until Herod was dead.
This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I called my
son out of Egypt. 16 Herod was furious on realising that he had been fooled by
the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male
children killed who were two years old or less, reckoning by the date he had
been careful to ask the wise men. 17 Then were fulfilled the words spoken
through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and
weeping bitterly: it is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be
comforted because they are no more. 19 After Herod's death, suddenly the angel
of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, 'Get up, take
the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those
who wanted to kill the child are dead.' 21 So Joseph got up and, taking the
child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. 22 But when he
learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was
afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the region of
Galilee. 23 There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words
spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled: He will be called a Nazarene.
c) A moment of silence:
so that the Word of God may penetrated into our hearts and
enlighten our life.
2. MEDITATIO
a) A key to the reading:
Matthew’s Gospel has been called “the Gospel of the Kingdom”.
Matthew invites us to reflect on the coming of the kingdom of heaven. Some have
seen in the structure of his Gospel narration a drama in seven acts that deal
with the coming of this Kingdom. The drama begins with the preparation for the
coming of the Kingdom in the person of the boy Messiah and ends with the coming
of the Kingdom in the suffering and triumph of the passion, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God.
The Gospel passage presented to us for reflection, is part of
the so-called first act where Matthew introduces to us the person of Jesus as
the fulfilment of the Scriptures. Matthew’s is the Gospel that often quotes the
Old Testament to show that in Christ the law and the prophets are fulfilled.
Jesus, the fulfilment and perfection of the Scriptures, came into the world to
re-establish the kingdom of heaven already proclaimed in the covenant made by
God with his people. With the coming of Christ, this covenant is no longer
reserved for the Jewish people alone but is extended to all peoples. Matthew
addresses himself to a community of Christian Jews, persecuted by the
synagogue, and invites it to be open to the gentiles. He is the wise scribe who
knows how to draw from his treasury that which is old and new. His Gospel was
first written in Aramaic and then translated into Greek.
Matthew 2:13-23 is part of the section that deals with the birth
and childhood of “Jesus Christ son of David, son of Abraham” (Mt 1:1). Jesus is
the son of his people, but he is also son of the whole of humanity. In his
genealogy we find foreign influences (Mt 1:3-6). After Mary his mother, the
first called to pay homage to the newborn Messiah are the Magi (Mt 2:11). With his
light, the Messiah draws the wise to himself and offers them salvation (Mt
2:1-12). The Magi receive this salvation, unlike Herod and the troubled
citizens of Jerusalem (Mt 2:3). From the very time of his birth Jesus is
persecuted by the leaders of his people and at the same time relives the
painful experiences of his people.
From the very time of his birth, Jesus relives the painful
experience of his people in exile, humbled again and again. The Gospel shows us
this by telling us of the flight into Egypt and the murder of the innocents.
The drama of these events unfolds before us in the following details:
i) The angel who appears in a dream to Joseph after the Magi leave, and the flight into Egypt (Mt 2:13-15).
ii) Herod who becomes aware of the deceit of the Magi and kills all the children in Bethlehem (Mt 2:16-18).
iii) The death of Herod and the “clandestine” return of the Holy Family not to Bethlehem but to Galilee (Mt 2:19-23).
i) The angel who appears in a dream to Joseph after the Magi leave, and the flight into Egypt (Mt 2:13-15).
ii) Herod who becomes aware of the deceit of the Magi and kills all the children in Bethlehem (Mt 2:16-18).
iii) The death of Herod and the “clandestine” return of the Holy Family not to Bethlehem but to Galilee (Mt 2:19-23).
The theme of kings killing those whom they fear is common in the
history of every royal dynasty. Apart from this scene of Herod seeking out the
child Jesus to kill him, in Bible literature in the Old Testament we find
similar stories. In the first book of Samuel, Saul who has been rejected by the
Lord feared David and sought to kill him (1 Sam 15; 18; 19; 20). Michal and
Jonathan help David to flee (1 Sam 19; 20). Again in the first book of Kings,
king Solomon in his old age, unfaithful to the God of his fathers and with a
perverted heart, commits what is evil in the sight of the Lord (1 Kings 11:
3-13). For this, the Lord raises up an adversary against Solomon (1 Kings 11:
14), Hadad who during David’s reign flees and takes refuge in Egypt (1 Kings
11: 17). Another of Solomon’s adversaries is Jeroboam who takes refuge in Egypt
to get away from the king who wanted to kill him (1 Kings 11: 40). Such were
the dangers of a degenerate kingdom. In the second book of Kings, this time in
the context of the siege of Jerusalem, “In the ninth year of his
[Nebuchadnezzar] reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month” (2
Kings 25: 1) of the year 589, we read of the sacking of Jerusalem and of the
second deportation of the people in the year 587 (2 Kings 25: 8-21). The people
who “remained in the land of Judah” (2 Kings 25: 22) submit to Gedaliah who was
appointed governor by Nebuchadnezzar. “ Ishmael […] and ten men with him […]
murdered Gedaliah, as well as the Judaeans and the Chaldaeans who were with
him”. Then from fear of the Chaldaeans, they fled into Egypt (2 Kings 25-26).
In the book of the prophet Jeremiah, we also find the story of Uriah “another
man, too, who used to prophesy in the name of Yahweh” (Jer 26: 20). Uriah flees
into Egypt because king Jehoiakim sought to kill him. The king in fact did find
him in Egypt and killed him (Jer 25: 20-24).
With these events as background to the flight of the Holy Family
into Egypt, Matthew shows us Jesus, from his very childhood, as partaking of
the fate of his people. Egypt, for Jesus, becomes the place of refuge, as it
was for the patriarchs:
- Abraham who “went down into Egypt to stay there for the time, since the land was hard pressed by the famine” (Gen 12, 10).
- Joseph was threatened by his brothers who sought to kill him out of envy and was then sold to merchants who led him into Egypt and sold him to Potiphar (Gen 37: 12-36).
- Israel (Jacob) who goes to Egypt called by his son Joseph (Gen 46: 1-7).
- The family of Israel (Jacob) that goes to Egypt to establish themselves there (Gen 46–50; Es 1: 1-6).
Matthew turns the citation from Hosea 11:1 upside down: “I called my son out of Egypt”, and interprets it as if God called his son Jesus to flee into Egypt (Mt 2: 15). The original meaning of Hosea was, that the Lord called his son Israel to leave Egypt in order to start a nation. Jesus’ flight into Egypt and the killing of the innocents of Bethlehem remind us of the oppression of Israel in Egypt and the killing of all the new-born males (Es 1: 8- 22).
- Abraham who “went down into Egypt to stay there for the time, since the land was hard pressed by the famine” (Gen 12, 10).
- Joseph was threatened by his brothers who sought to kill him out of envy and was then sold to merchants who led him into Egypt and sold him to Potiphar (Gen 37: 12-36).
- Israel (Jacob) who goes to Egypt called by his son Joseph (Gen 46: 1-7).
- The family of Israel (Jacob) that goes to Egypt to establish themselves there (Gen 46–50; Es 1: 1-6).
Matthew turns the citation from Hosea 11:1 upside down: “I called my son out of Egypt”, and interprets it as if God called his son Jesus to flee into Egypt (Mt 2: 15). The original meaning of Hosea was, that the Lord called his son Israel to leave Egypt in order to start a nation. Jesus’ flight into Egypt and the killing of the innocents of Bethlehem remind us of the oppression of Israel in Egypt and the killing of all the new-born males (Es 1: 8- 22).
The prophecy applied to the murder of the innocents is taken
from the book of consolation made up of chapters 30 and 31 of the book of
Jeremiah. The lamentation is connected with the promise of the Lord who
consoles Rachel, Jacob’s (Israel’s) spouse, mother of Joseph, who according to
tradition was buried close to Bethlehem, and promises her that she will be
rewarded for her sorrow, her children who are no longer will come back (Jer 31:
15 – 18).
When they come back from Egypt after the death of Herod, Joseph
decides to live in Galilee in a city called Nazareth. Jesus will be called the
Nazarene. Later also, his disciples will be known as Nazarenes (Acts 24: 5).
Apart from indicating the name of a city, this name may also refer to the
“shoot”, that is the «neçer» of Isaiah 11: 1. Or it may refer to the rest of
Israel, the «naçur» (see Is 42: 6).
b) Questions for personal reflection:
i) What strikes you most in this passage from Matthew?
ii) What does the kingdom of heaven mean for you?
iii) How does the kingdom of heaven differ from earthly kingdoms?
iv) Matthew introduces us to the person of Jesus as one who becomes one with the fate of his people. Read the passages cited in the key to the reading so as to reflect and pray on the events of the people of God, with which Jesus identified himself. What are similar situations in our world? Ask yourself what you can do to better the conditions where you live and work, especially if they are at variance with the kingdom of heaven.
ii) What does the kingdom of heaven mean for you?
iii) How does the kingdom of heaven differ from earthly kingdoms?
iv) Matthew introduces us to the person of Jesus as one who becomes one with the fate of his people. Read the passages cited in the key to the reading so as to reflect and pray on the events of the people of God, with which Jesus identified himself. What are similar situations in our world? Ask yourself what you can do to better the conditions where you live and work, especially if they are at variance with the kingdom of heaven.
3. ORATIO
a) Personal prayer in silence.
b) Conclude the lectio divina with this prayer:
Merciful Father, grant that we may follow the examples of the
Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph so that we may always be strong in the
trials of life until the day when we may share in your glory in heaven. Through
Christ our Lord.
4. CONTEMPLATIO
May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts. (Col 3: 15)
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