Matthew 2:1-23
You may know about the Magi. You may know the trivia (were there 3?) or you may know the jokes (it took 2 years and they brought impractical gifts because they were wise men). They come to see the child, they visit the palace, and are warned in a dream to go home by another way.
Nevertheless, Herod is infuriated and decides to protect his power. Again, in a dream, an angel appears and sends the holy family to Egypt. Again, against their will the family chosen by God gets sent to Egypt, and again they will need to come out of Egypt to return to the promised land.
Fear still afflicts Joseph, as it afflicted Zechariah. The family returns, after hesitation, and settles in Nazareth.
From the beginning, the promise of the Messiah is under threat from the powers of this world. From the beginning,God’s plan works through people willing to listen, to hear, and to act, in order that God’s will may be done. It takes magi who turn down Herod and go home by another way. It takes a family willing to again do something absurd,and pick up and move not once, but twice, and to go back into harm’s way.
How has God moved us, called us from place to place and situation to situation? How have we made hard decisions, and answered to God first about our lives?
