“MADE BRANCHES BY THE VINE AND ROOT JESUS”
Saint Matthew 2: 13-23
Sunday after New Year: 3 January Anno Domini 2021
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
Just more then a week has passed since the great celebration of God’s Nativity. But we continue for al time to celebrate The Incarnation and its Revelation to us in Christ’s presence. But now also, a couple of years have passed in our text from the creche in the stable/cave/out-building. The Holy Family is living in a house and they have been visited by the Magi.
The eastern sages have departed, being warned by God to avoid Herod. We know what Herod did. And thus, we know what The Lord would do. Man sins and murders and refuses to repent—all the while worshipping himself. Herod is old Adam writ large. Herod and the soldiers, who were “just following orders,” are all of you in your original fallen natures—which still cling to you daily.
The baby was born in the flesh to obey the Law, which you break, to obey it with His flesh. The two-year old child had flesh and blood so that it could be scourged, punctured, slapped, spit on, and nailed to a cross for your sins, and for Herod’s sins. God was not going to be trapped in the blood drenched quarters of Bethlehem’s “Holy Innocents.” God would rendezvous with His own blood-soaked destiny some three decades later—outside of Pilate’s Jerusalem.
As Saint Joseph, son of the Patriarch Jacob, once was taken by God to Egypt to prepare a safe haven for all of Israel during the starvation deaths of Canaan’s long dry spell of sadness and despair; so too Saint Joseph, Guardian of our Lord, was taken by God to Egypt to prepare a safe haven for The Christ-Child, the true ISRAEL, during the slaughter of Rachel’s children, and the desperate tear for those who were no more.
There are 10 Commandments that you are to obey daily, hourly, by-the-minute…perfectly. You don’t. There are really only two commands, as the Child would summarize when He was a man, the God/Man: love God perfectly (with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength) and love your neighbor as yourself. Again—a hard fail for all of you. There’s ultimately only one Law—be faithful—hold on to the gift of Grace that The Lord gives. This is done only by the Grace that The Lord gives. God gives faith by The Holy Ghost, the “Lord and Giver of Life.” That Life is Christ The Word. Jesus and His Gospel—His PERSON and WORK—is Himself. When you have the Scriptures in your ears you HAVE Immanuel. When you remember that you are + Washed, you HAVE Christ. When you receive His Holy Body and Precious Blood, you HAVE GOD.
The Lord Graced Joseph and, thank God: Hallelujah: Joseph was constrained to be faithful. Joseph took the young Child/God and His mother, The Blessed Virgin, and fled to Egypt. And waited; waited patiently…for The Word.
You don’t wait well. No one does for all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. But THE Glory of God, THE Apostle of The Trinity waited, and waits, perfectly. Content to suckle at The Virgin’s breast, satisfied to be carried about like the child He was. He waited patiently in Pharaoh’s land until the time was right. The Word came to Joseph to “arise and go to Israel…into the parts of Galilee and dwelt in a city called Nazareth” (the root); for His Holy Charge, The Child/God was indeed the root of Jesse and the stem, bud, and flower of Jesse, of David!
Christ speaks to you this morning. Not with the same voice He spoke to His Mother with, or Peter, or the Magdalene, but with the voice He spoke to the Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians—through His word in the mouth of His New Testament angels, be they Pastor St. Paul, or Pastors Boyle, Penikis, Brockman, or Watson.
Fear not. Peace to you. Your Egyptian bondage is over. The blood of the paschal lamb has been drenched on the doorposts and lintel of your house—your body—your Temple of The Holy Ghost. The pass-over of God’s wrath toward your sins has been accomplished for it did not pass over your Jesus when he suffered and died on the tree for you. Herod the “Great” is no more. Archelaus is gone and forgotten, as is Herod Antipas, Pilate, and Caiaphas. The night of fleeing is over. Rejoice in the Light and Life of Christ’s presence. All is fulfilled which was spoken of The Lord by the prophet and the prophets. You weeping is comforted by His soothing and restorative words of Peace and by His Body and Blood of Peace forevermore.
This day, this New Year, you have been taken by The Lord to be with the young child, now Resurrected and Glorified, and His mother, and angels and archangels and all the host of heaven.
Out of “Egypt” He has called you. He has called you sons and daughters; forgiven and free.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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