The Feast of the Holy Family: The Flea to Egypt: Necessary to Fulfill the Scriptures

The Feast of the Holy Family: . . .

The Feast of the Holy Family, and indeed Christmas, is often marked with sentimentality.

This is not bad, but it is limiting. Everything is pleasant and safe. However, in doing so we may miss the full greatness and vigor of the joy and mystery of this holy season.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, within the octave of Christmas. In the Church’s eyes, it is still Christmas day! And what do we hear, in what should be a sweet time? We hear someone wishes to kill the newborn child. There is darkness in the midst of the light that shines.

. . .  The Flea to Egypt: Necessary to Fulfill the Scriptures

We engage this very familiar story of the three kings and the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. At the back end of the Christmas octave, we have a family on the move. In a way, it is similar to the beginning of Christmas. A Family on the move facing a specific crisis. The Homily tells us more and its importance.

On the face of it, to the world, this is chaos. Where will we go? What will we do? Where will we stay? How will we live? These questions may sound very familiar. Often, we have the same questions.

Jesus is pleased to enter this world. He is pleased not to enter a time of sentimental sweetness within the family. He is pleased to enter the world into the disturbing reality that families always have had to deal with in this world.

Yet in the midst of this, there is a tone of calmness and peacefulness. Calmness in the midst of a difficult situation. As the world erupts against this family, something else is at work. It is the movement of Heaven. The movement of grace.

Joseph gets up and moves. Not because Herod threatens the child. He gets up because Heaven told him so, and Joseph was listening. There are two kingdoms. This family is not driven by the earthly kingdom. They are driven by the true kingdom . . . the Heavenly kingdom.

The Gospel tells us that the family moves to Egypt. Why? Not because of the threat of Herod! They move for the sake of the child. They move to fulfill the scriptures.

Hear more about what it means to fulfill scriptures. Why was the Flea to Egypt necessary? Hear more about the role of our own family within this world! Listen to this Meditation Media.

Flight Into Egypt: Painting: 1306 – Giotto di Bondone

Giotto di Bondone, was an Italian painter and architect. This work is over 700 years old, and the painting now resides in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.

The Gospel tells us that the family moves to Egypt. Why? Not because of the threat of Herod! They move for the sake of the child. They move to fulfill the scriptures.

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