Gospel for December 28th

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.

Commentary:
Today is the feast of the holy martyred Innocents. What can I say about this day? I've just begun to consider how this day fits into the Christian's life. How much time do we dedicate in our lives to considering the events that took place around the birth of our Savior. This episode in human history will never be forgotten. How could I have been a Christian for 19 years and given this event such little thought? How terrible this must have been for the people of Bethlehem! I think that being a Father of a two year old son this strikes me much harder that it ever has before.

Joseph is warned in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. The Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in dreams. These dreams are only mentioned in Matthew in chapters 1 and 2. The Angel tells Joseph to not fear to take Mary as his wife. Then the Angel tells him to take the Child and his Mother to Egypt. After Herod dies the Angel tells him to return to Isreal. When he gets to Isreal he finds out that Herod's Son is reigning in his place and the Angel warns him in another dream and so he goes to Nazarath. What kind of man Joseph must have been! Did he ever doubt that he was being fooled by these dreams? How did he know for sure that this Angel of the Lord wasn't his imagination. Dreams are not a very reliable source for guiding your life. Joseph follows in the footsteps of all the other heros of Salvation history. Abraham, Moses, Joseph (son of Jacob), Job etc...



I happened to find a writing by St. Ephraim the Syriac, a Deacon in the 4th century. I think this applies to commenting on any scripture. I really needed to read this.

St. Ephraim the Syriac, 4th century:

Lord, who can grasp all the wealth of just one of your words. What we understand is much less than what we leave behind. Like thirsty people who drink from a fountain, for your word, Lord, has many shades of meaning, just as those who study it have many points of view. The Lord has colored his word with many hues, so that each person who studies it can see in it what he loves. He has hidden many treasures in his word, so that each of us is enriched as we meditate on it. The word of God is a tree of life that from all its parts offers you fruit that is blessed. It is like that rock that is open in the desert, which from all its parts gave forth a spiritual drink. He, who comes into contact with some share of its treasure, should not think that the only thing contained in the word is what he himself has found. He should realize that he has only been able to find that one thing from among many others. Nor, because only that one part has become his should he say that the word is void, empty, and look down on it. Because he could not exhaust it, he should give thanks for its riches. Be glad that you are overcome and do not be sad that it overcame you. The thirsty man rejoices when he drinks, he is not downcast because he cannot empty the fountain. Rather let the fountain quench your thirst, than have your thirst quench the fountain. Because if your thirst is quenched and the fountain is not exhausted, you can drink from it again whenever you are thirsty. But if, when your thirst is quenched, the fountain also is dried up, your victory will bode evil for you. So be grateful for what you have recieved and don't grumble about the abundance left behind. What you have received and what you have reached is your share. What remains is your heritage. What at one time you are unable to receive, because of your weakness, you will be able to receive at other times, if you persevere. Do not have the presumption to try to take in one draft what cannot be taken in one draft. And do not abandon out of laziness what you may only consume little by little.

[St. Ephraim, cited by Dr. Scott Hahn, The End: A Study of the Book of Revelation, (St. Joseph Communications, audio series)]