Holy Gospel: St. Matthew 2:13-23
See how Herod seeks to destroy the saviour. First he tried to outwit the Magi into telling him where the child was to be found (v. 8). He wishes a clean, economic job: one slash of a sword shall do it. But now that his intent failed, Herod resorts to plan B – and that is messier. Let all infants in
See how different is God’s plan! For He wills that one perish for the salvation of all mankind. He does not look for a clean, easy job, but pays the highest price, the only way to satisfy His holiness and His mercy: that His Son should come into the world, an outcast rejected and at last put to death on a cross to bear the sin of all.
And so these two different plans have different fates. While Herod’s main effort fails to accomplish his end state – the elimination of this newborn king – God’s plan retains its course, fulfilling the prophetic words, “I called my Son out of
But what about the innocent martyrs, one asks. In the war of terror that Satan wages against Christ and his kingdom, they are civilian casualties. They just happened to be in the path of the tyrant’s random madness as he resorts to violence and bloodshed in his quest to crush the opposition and impose his rule. Christ, on the other hand, takes the route of weakness, of powerlessness, and pours out His own blood to quell the tyrant’s might and rob him of his reign.
In the sacrifice of Christ, the lives and yes, even the deaths of the innocent are vindicated. No one lives or dies in vain who trusts the work of Christ to establish justice and peace without bounds and without end.
Holy Gospel: St. Matthew 2:13-23
NKJV 13 Now when [the Magi] 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." 14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 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." 16 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. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: 18 "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." 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 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." 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 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. 23 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."Come, your hearts and voices raising,
Christ the Lord with gladness praising;
Loudly sing His love amazing,
Worthy folk of Christendom.Christ, from heaven to us descending
And in love our race befriending,
In our need His help extending,
Saved us from the wily Foe.Jacob's Star in all its splendor
Beams with comfort sweet and tender,
Forcing Satan to surrender,
Breaking all the powers of hell.From the bondage that oppressed us,
From sin's fetters that possessed us,
From the grief that sore distressed us,
We, the captives, now are free.Oh, the joy beyond expressing
When by faith we grasp this blessing
And to Thee we come confessing,
That our freedom thou hast wrought!Gracious Child, we pray Thee, hear us,
From Thy lowly manger cheer us,
Gently lead us and be near us
Till we join the angelic choir.
