December 26th - Reflection

First Sunday of Christmas
Matthew 2:13-23 (NRSV)
The slaughter of innocent children

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
"A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead." Then Joseph got up, 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 there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."

Reflection
Egypt seems to be the country to run to and the country to run from. Joseph (Old Testament) didn't run their, we was taken their captive. But while Joseph was in Egypt he became well known and a political power. Through the gifts God granted Joseph; food was set up through Joseph's planning during a famine. So Joseph's brothers run to Egypt. Eventually the family settles in. But the family becomes too big and too influential for the government of the day, and the government of Egypt chooses to make the Israelites slaves. So now the Israelites run from Egypt, under the guidance of Moses, whom God had called to set his people free. Out into the desert they go in wandering. Eventually they come into the promised land and take over most of this territory as their own, led by Joshua.

Now skip forward to Jesus birth. Once again the government worries. So God instructs Joseph (New Testament) to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Run to Egypt to escape the government. The government is about to kill all the children around Bethlehem looking to kill Jesus. And then, when safe to return, Joseph returns to Nazereth with Mary and Jesus.

Sometimes it seems that when we listen to the call of God we are led all over the place in some random pattern with no meaning. But when you step back from the story you can see a little peek at the plan of God. Even though God was protecting Jesus, many children died. But even of those children that died, Jesus would live and show the world that he was the Messiah to save the world from sin. The children were saved then.

As the Israelites were led into Egypt to save life, they were led out of Egypt and into the wilderness to inhabit the Promised Land which would birth the Savior of the world. Lives are given for lives to be saved. Jesus gave his life in order to save us all. We give our lives to Jesus and not only save ourselves from our own selfish pride and sin but to give ourselves in love as Jesus gave himself in love so that others my be led to be disciples of Jesus.

The cycle of life is a bit different from what we expect. You give life and gain life in abundance. You give yourself and gain so much more. But that gain is not to be confused with a selfish gain of power, prestige, or money. In your giving you are willing to give up power, prestige and money. These qualities are not ultimate. These qualities are only useful in the plan of God. You will be rich on a completely different level of anything we could ever imagine or experience on this earth.
And as we live the call of God, humble and gracious as shepherds, Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, Elizabeth, all the common folk like you and I and along with all the animals and angels; we discover a peek of the greatness of this infant Savior before our eyes. The Creator of the universe, the King of Glory, this child beyond time and space, has come first to you and to me, not to the royalty or the religious or the powerful or the business powerhouses. This Savior came directly to the common, the poor, the homeless, the ill, the blind, the lame, the deaf and dumb, the workers of this world, to tell each one of us that we are uniquely loved by God and God has taken on our flesh. Taken on our flesh in an act of love and grace to save us and bring us to eternal glory with Jesus. Think about it! Think about it and turn to Jesus and believe! Turn and show that love to another near you today. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, take the tragedy of this world and turn it on it's head into something blessed. We look to you to save all your people. And as you make the first last and the last first may all in awe and wonder point directly to your love and grace. Lead us to love one another to bring about the peace you desire...today...tomorrow...and forever. --- Amen