The Flight to Egypt

Today's Reflections

The Holy Innocents, martyrs
(Feast) RED

1 Jn 1:5—2:2
Ps 124

Mt 2:13-18

The Flight to Egypt

¹³When [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.” ¹⁴Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. ¹⁵He 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.”

¹⁶When 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. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: ¹⁸“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.”

Reflection:

Herod ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem. In any family feud, in persecution, or in times of war and famine, the most and first to suffer are the little children. They are the most vulnerable and the most susceptible to difficulties.

That is why we have Christmas. We need to celebrate our children and also the child in us, to remember to protect and uplift our little children, and to be reminded of the hope that is the children. If our little children go, so, too, will our country and our existence. Of all people, be most careful of the children.

Have small gifts for the kids in your neighborhood.