Feast of the Holy Innocents
Mt 2:13-18
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Love Shown Without Words
How many lines of dialogue does Joseph have in the Bible? ZERO! Though he is without words, his actions speak much louder. Matthew illustrates the love and obedience Joseph has for his family and for his Lord. I wonder how difficult this was for Joseph, being deferential. Or maybe it was easy for him. My 21st century, independent mind imagines the former rather than the latter.
St. Francis of Assisi, a saint that Ignatius admired, said “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” A friend of mine has said, “Mind how you act, you may be the only Bible anyone ever reads.” What people see can be more powerful than what people hear. Though Joseph doesn’t say anything, we look to how he responds to God: with faith, hope, and love.
Who in my life preaches the Gospel of faith, hope, and love without saying words?
—Damian Torres-Botello, SJ, is a Jesuit Scholastic of the Midwest Province studying theology at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry; he will be ordained a priest on June 10, 2023.
Prayer
God of all and everything, who calls on me everyday to follow your light, show me the confidence to move towards You in faith, hope, and love, and that I already possess all I need to be your disciple. Grant this, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
St. Joseph…pray for us!
—Damian Torres-Botello, SJ