28 Dec 25 | Matthew 2:13–15, 19–23
God preserves His Son through exile and return, fulfilling His promises through quiet obedience and divine guidance.
The Gospel:
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 had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazorean.
Reflection:
I really love what this passage gets at - the quiet and faithful obedience that God asks of us. Throughout the Bible, we never hear from Joseph, yet the way he responds through his actions is always evident. He listens to God, he trusts God, and though he never speaks, he provides powerful and important impacts! Joseph has placed the safety and livelihood of his family in God's hands here. He knows the threats they are facing and instead of doing whatever he feels like, God provides a solution. The safety of Mary and Jesus are placed above his own comfort or security. The saving work of God comes from humble obedience, not public miracles.
As Christians, this Gospel reminds each of us that being Holy is something that can come from living in ordinary faithfulness to God. It is not something reserved for Priests and Deacons or your pastors or those helping in your Church every weekend. We can all be Holy through faithfulness to God. Remember that Joseph was not a high Priest, but a faithful servant of God. We may be called by God when we least expect it and we must remember the power God can work through quiet faithfulness.
When our lives feel small, interrupted, or unseen, God is still at work. God's call to us is the same as he called to Joseph: to listen, trust, and respond with courage—believing that even the detours are part of God’s plan.