Gospel Reflection on Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

December 28, 2025

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.”

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archela′us reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

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Our culture has developed a view of humanity that prizes independence and self-sufficiency above all else.

And this applies in a particular way to the generations of men who are being raised today,

men who are unsure and confused and weak.

The models that are presented are, at least in my days, were John Wayne and the lone ranger. Today, it's stories of superheroes and Captain America. And what we're presented with is a rugged individual who does not need anyone, who's completely self-dependent, self-sufficient, and makes independent decisions. But we have contrast, look at Joseph.

The story of the first years of Jesus' life is a dramatic one, family escaping the bloodthirsty hair by fleeing to Egypt, and then returning to Nazareth to live a very simple life.

But this tyrant obsessed with the terror of being replaced haunts them. And in the center of this is the most defenseless of institutions: a young family just getting started.

How can these innocent lambs escape this ferocious wolf? This is such an unequal contest, a violent king, a humble carpenter.

But what is so important in all of this is that Joseph does not attempt to do this by himself.

We have this wonderful story is that the angel appears to him in a dream. It's almost as if we hear him saying, 'I think I better sleep on this.' Sleep on making a decision by myself.

And as a consequence, he is the one who finally gives the name of God to this child.

And the name is God-with, not God-alone, not God by God's self: God-with.

And it's a message to Joseph about how to be a human being, how to be a man, how to be a person, to be with others, not to stand alone, to be with this family, to be with all of those who need.

This is the model for men that's missing from our generation today: that we are not looking for needy men who are independent, who keep their thoughts to themselves, who make independent decisions.

However good they may be, we need men who are able to be with others, with their families,

with their children, to sleep on things, to take their time, to listen to others, to be a person in dialogue.

Above everything else, that's what stands out about Joseph. He listens to the voice of God who speaks to him through the angel in his dreams. And it is that relationship that gives solidity, constancy, and strength.

Joseph doesn't have our technology, but he needed, he just needed to be a listener,

to be in constant dialogue with the Father and constant dialogue with those around,

to be willing to listen and to be with. And that's what eventually makes him the person that we can celebrate on this feast of the Holy Family.