Meditations for a New Year
Matthew 2:13-18
The Escape to Egypt
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 fulfil 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 enraged, 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.’
*****
Sermon preparation is never easy: What context of the passage do we have to be aware of to understand it fully? What is the relevance of the message today? What does it challenge us to do? Will it bring comfort to those in need?
Some, however, are more difficult than others – Trinity Sunday is a good example. But for me – and for many others – by far the most challenging is preaching on the ‘Feast’ Day of the Holy Innocents, ‘celebrated’ on December 28th or 29th.
We spent Advent in excited preparation, Christmas is full of the joy of Incarnation, the New Year beckons with all its hopes and dreams – but in the midst of ‘The most Wonderful time of the Year’, Matthew tells us about a paranoid self-centred despot ordering a massacre of children.
If we want to read about that sort of stuff, we only have to pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV – surely we don’t need the Bible making it worse. It’s supposed to be Merry Christmas, after all!
Well, actually, we do. It would be great(?) if the Gospel story just described the Christmas Card scene, with its snow, shepherds and stable, the baby in an ox’s stall, beautiful angelic descants. But we live in the real world. A world of hatred, injustice, cruelty and raw, naked violence. A world that demands a Saviour, because it can’t save itself.
It’s all very well to enjoy a nice cosy time contemplating the Nativity scene, but the Satan would like us to stay there for ever, ignoring reality. The temptation is insidious, dulling the light that has come to the world – so slowly in fact that we are unaware of its dimming.
The Massacre goes on. The story in Matthew’s Gospel is happening today, and it will be repeated throughout 2025. Every day, across the world, precious, innocent children are slaughtered as a result of evil men and women valuing their own prosperity and power above all. How can they and those who mindlessly follow them live with what they are asked to do? There is only one answer. The disguised power of Evil. Evil that engenders sin, and blinds people from a realisation of that sin. And the inevitable consequence is an incapacity and failure to love.
So we face the New Year, not with a Bible that only describes the comfortable bits (of which there are indeed many), but the uncomfortable ones too. We resolve to walk with the Son of Man to confront those dangers and further His Kingdom. In face of evil, we will not keep silent. We choose love; love in thought, love in prayer, love in action, in the sure and certain hope that the power of the cross will prevail. Therefore choose love.
Psalm 46: 1-3, 6-7, 9
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
Previous Posts
Praying Together 31st May 2026
Throughout the world, greeting one another with a kiss is a standard way of greeting – once, twice or more (four times in some regions of of France.) In our less demonstrative culture, we perhaps tend to ‘Share the peace’ by means of a nod, wave, handshake a hug or sometimes even a kiss itself in order to respect what we understand as the boundaries of a person’s ‘personal space’.
Praying Together 17th May 2026
‘Somethin’s comin’, don’t know what it is, but it is gonna be great’
Praying Together 10th May 2026
This week I offer a report of our Archbishop John’s Introductory address to this week’s General Synod. It speaks for itself. I wish certain political leaders would read it too.
Praying Together 26th April 2026
Fortunately, God’s love is not restricted to those who do good. He sent His only Son to save sinners – whoever they may be, whatever they may have done wrong.
Praying Together April 19th 2026
Judgement is not restricted to either believers or non-believers – but All people
Praying Together 12th April 2026
Let’s talk about Peter, the ‘Rock’ on which Christ’s Church is built.
Seriously, would you have chosen him? Surely, one of the other Disciples would be the most highly qualified.
Praying Together Easter Sunday 2026
A Reflection provided by the Revd. Barbara Irrgang-Buckley for the First Sunday of Easter
Praying Together – A Thought for Good Friday 2026
Through our tears as we stand at the foot of the Cross and witness His Crucifixion on this Good Friday, we have the privilege of looking beyond the day unto a day of joy as we are assured of His life – then, today and tomorrow. We leave our past behind as we walk away from Golgotha, the place of the skull.
Praying Together March 29th 2026
These things are worth meditation and thought, as we enter this Holy Week – but the even more important question that we can only answer for ourselves, is embodied in twelve straightforward words written by Charles Wesley.
How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Praying Together 22 March 2026
“Lazarus, come out.” He calls Lazarus by name. Even death cannot triumph, and so it is with sin. There is no depth or distance to which human being can go that can prevent them from hearing that call. It is up to them to choose to accept or deny it.
Praying Together 15th March 2026
Simeon, though, didn’t just hear about the Messiah being incarnate in the child – he also knew that the child’s destiny would involve pain and suffering in order to fulfil His mission. And Mary knew too. The consolation of Israel – of the world – would cost her the life of her child.
Praying Together 8th March 2026
And in turn, we are challenged to become messengers ourselves, however unsuitable or ill-equipped we might feel.