Matthew 2:13-14; 19-23 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.
Merry Christmas! Although some of the Christmas music and movies have ceased and people are starting to take down decorations, the Church still remains in the Christmas season. It's a time of celebration when family may still be in town and enjoying and rekindling relationships. But for the Holy Family in the readings this weekend, this wasn't the case. They were at the center of a drama that would test their faith and stamina. Imagine celebrating your child's birth, returning home, people coming to visit only to learn that the government wanted to kill your child or take them from you. It was cause great stress, fear and panic. You would do anything save your child. This was the case with the Holy Family, but instead of rumor or reading about this, it was Joseph, the obedient and righteous head of the family, who was visited by an angel in a dream and told to take the family and seek refuge in Egypt°.that same Egypt that wanted to destroy the Jews centuries earlier. As we reflect on the Holy Family, let us remember in our prayers those families around the world who face persecution because of their faith, who live under the rule of corrupt governments and dictators, who face economic and societal pressures to the point where they must seek refuge in neighboring countries. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were refugees seeking hope. So are the ones of today.
