The flight to Egypt: A testament of faith and obedience:
December 28, 2023 | Thursday, Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs, Gyaviira Luwaga, Kawuku, Entebbe, Catholic Extension, CatholicTV, Catholic Extension
Matthew 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.
Daily Prayer:
O Gracious Sovereign, I offer gratitude for the precious blessing of existence and the sublime gift of Your son, Jesus Christ. In Your presence this day, with a humble heart, I seek the fortitude, humility, and dedication exemplified by Joseph. Bestow upon me the favor of discerning Your voice and the strength to follow Your path. Empower me to distinguish and relinquish the transient temptations of this world, that my life may serve as a witness to Your providential direction. I entrust this prayer to You, through Christ, my Redeemer. Amen.
Encountering Christ:
In the passage Matthew 2:13–18, we witness a moment of profound tension and fearful obedience, which through the scope of biblical narrative and theological reflection reveals the inexorable march towards the fulfilment of divine prophecy and the unsettling reality of innocent suffering. This reflection explores this passage and draws from the well of scriptural wisdom, the insights of Church Fathers, and the testimonies of saints to provide a nuanced understanding of its implications for the Christian journey.
Matthew writes with the intent to present Christ as the promised Messiah and to connect the events of Jesus’ early life to Old Testament prophecies. In this light, Matthew 2:13–18 is laden with prophetic fulfilment where the menace of Herod’s rule necessitates the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, signifying a motif of exodus and deliverance reminiscent of Israel’s own history.
Joseph, a man characterized by his righteousness (Matthew 1:19), is once again receptive to divine instruction in a dream — a recurring Matthean theme highlighting his role as a protector which was somewhat understated in contemporary Jewish culture (Brown, R., 1993). The angel’s message, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,” (Matthew 2:13 NRSV) resonates with the urgency and immediacy akin to the Exodus narrative where Moses led Israel out of Egypt by night (Exodus 12:31–42). Their nocturnal departure foregrounds Joseph’s faith and swift obedience without question reflects his unwavering trust in God’s providence.
St. Augustine remarked on Joseph’s obedience as emblematic of the faithful’s response to God’s guidance, stating, “Joseph slept, but his heart was awake before God. For the heart of the just man studieth obedience” (Sermon 51.9). This speaks to the notion of interior vigilance amid external circumstances that demand responsive action.
The phrase “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matthew 2:15 NRSV) alludes to Hosea 11:1, a passage initially reflecting Israel’s historical exodus. As St. Jerome explains, this typology is fulfilled in Christ, the true Son called out of Egypt, for “Everything that happens in the Old Testament is a shadow of things to come” (St. Jerome, “Commentary on Matthew 2:15”). Through Jesus, the history of Israel achieves its culmination and redemptive purpose.
As Herod’s ill-intent comes to light and the narrative darkens with the massacre of the infants, one is confronted with the horrific juxtaposition of innocent suffering within the context of God’s salvific plan. The murderous edict, embracing all male children in Bethlehem under two years, has historical resonance with Pharaoh’s decree for the genocide of Hebrew boys in Moses’ time (Exodus 1:15–22). Thus, Matthew highlights Herod as a new Pharaoh, a tyrant who in his attempt to thwart divine will, unwittingly plays into the sacred drama (France, R.T., 1985).
The lamentation “Rachel weeping for her children” (Matthew 2:18 NRSV) reaches back to Jeremiah 31:15. In the larger Jeremiah passage, Rachel’s mourning is transformed by the promise of future joy over the return of the exiles. In the Matthean use, this juxtaposition of mourning for children lost and hope for restoration encapsulates the paradoxical nature of the Christian narrative, as noted by Church Father John Chrysostom, who saw in the pain of the Bethlehem mothers a prefiguration of the triumph and joy of resurrection (Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew).
Daily Lessons:
In considering theologically this troubling event, the sages and theologians have approached this grief, sometimes called the “massacre of the innocents,” with a spirit of profound reflection on the nature of martyrdom and the innocence of these children who are regarded as the first martyrs for Christ. Augustine, in recounting their story, said, “They are the first buds of the Church killed by the frost of persecution; they died not only for Christ but in his stead” (Sermon 373.3), acknowledging their sanctity while emphasizing the unfathomable mystery of God’s permissive will in the allowance of such evil.
In this narrative, there are rich vein lessons for contemporary Christian praxis. Firstly, there is a call to attentive discernment and obedience to God’s guidance amidst the complexities and dangers of the world, after the example of Joseph. Additionally, the profound theme of exodus and deliverance reminds faithful believers of their own spiritual journey from ‘slavery’ to sin into the ‘Promised Land’ of God’s Kingdom. Moreover, the uncomfortable reality of innocent suffering and divine permissiveness challenges believers to maintain hope and trust in God’s larger salvific plan, even when faced with profound evil and sorrow.
Matthew 2:13–18 invites contemplation on the nature of divine prophecy, the virtue of faithful obedience, the harsh experience of innocent suffering, and the abiding truth of God’s ultimate victory over evil. This passage, therefore, stands as both a narrative of early events in the life of Christ and as a theological microcosm of the Christian existential reality — encapsulating flight and exodus, devastation and hope, death and the anticipation of resurrection. The lessons drawn prompt a personal and communal call to embody the resolute faith of Joseph, the innocent trust of the children, and the healing hope of the Resurrection.
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