The Scriptural Deacon

Sunday After Christmas – The Love of God in a Hostile World – Reflection on Matthew 2:13-23 Today’s Gospel in the Eastern Church is from Matthew. It’s the story of Herod the Great killing the young male children after the birth of the Messiah (Matthew 2:13-23). Herod afraid of losing his worldly power and discerning that he has been tricked by the Wise Men, seeks to “destroy” the new born King. This shows us that from the very beginning, God’s greatest sign of his love for us, the gift of his only begotten Son, was meet with hostility and the fear of losing one’s way or status in the world. Herod had a nice position as King of Judea. Yes, he was a puppet for the imperial government in Rome, but he did have his special prominence in the world and enough power to make himself important. Rome needed people like Herod to help keep the Jews of the day in line, and he was more than willing to help. So, when a person like Herod hears the news that another “King of the Jews” has been ...

Emmanuel – God is With Us God gave the greatest gift he could give to his creation just over 2,000 years ago. The gift of his only begotten Son. As we read is Matthews’s Gospel, the angel of the Lord, tells Joseph in a dream, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:20-21) Matthew then reminds us all that this was God’s promise to his people from long ago, “All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” (which means, God with us).” (Matt 1:22-23) How often do we really think about what these powerful words mean for us, “God with us”? Is this just a nice story we happen to read around Christmas time, or does God mean what he says to his faithful people in Matthew’s Gospel? Do we live ...