Psalms 50 * 59, 60 or 93, 96; 1 Kings 18:1-19; Philippians 2:12-30; Matthew 2:13-23We have Joseph getting up and going today. First he flees Herod's jealous wrath going to Egypt. Then, again following the instructions he receives in a dream, he gets up and takes his family to Nazareth. Joseph is told to "get up" twice today, and we are told he "got up" and followed what he believed were God's instructions to him. In between Joseph's moving his family back and forth we have the awful story of Herod's murder of all children under the age of two in and around Bethlehem. A lot of action in these ten verses today.
Many of us have had feelings that we need to do something, a prodding, an urge perhaps. There are times when we act without rational thought, based solely on a knowledge that is hard to articulate, but that we know deep within ourselves is the right thing to do. Some of my friends call that our subconscious telling us what our waking minds refuse to recognize. And when my friends say this to me, I do not disagree. I have pointed out on occasion that, perhaps, that subconscious is God's Holy Spirit inside us, that seed of knowledge from which our better selves emanate. Some of those friends will usually roll their eyes at me when I say that, but my twist on their view is as valid as their twist.
However we view those times in our lives when we have felt a need to do something, not responding can often have disastrous consequences. Today's Gospel account from Matthew is asking us to listen and pay attention to those deep-seated voices telling us to do something we know is right....and get up and go.
jfd+
Copyright 2011, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.
Art: Station Crosses, 1-6, 2007, jfd+
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