Christmas I - A

"The Empire Strikes Back"

December 29, 2019

Matthew 2:13-23

2:13 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."

2:14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt,

2:15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

2:16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, 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.

2:17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

2:18 "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."

2:19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,

2:20 "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."

2:21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee.

2:23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."

Holy Innocents

‘The Empire Strikes Back’

Thank you, St. Matthew – just when I was getting into the holiday spirit – you have to go and ruin it with such a story.  Usually it is a drunken uncle or a crabby aunt that ruins Christmas.  Thanks, Matthew!

What is St. Matthew up to in telling us this story, by including this blood bath of the innocent babes?

Matthew just might be telling us that a ‘cross-less’ Christmas is nothing more than a sentimental Hallmark Card.

Matthew wastes no time in getting into the identity and mission of Jesus.  Jesus, like Israel, and like Moses before him – has no place to lay his head.  He is hunted by a king.  He is a threat to the Empire.  He is one who disturbs the status quo. 

Matthew, writing to a Jewish audience, dares to claim Christ as the new Moses.   Moses hid in the bulrushes, was chased down by a powerful king.  Innocents were slaughtered, yet Moses escapes!

Matthew tells us this story to point to Jesus as Moses.  A careful look at this Gospel and you will see 5 distinct sermons, or teachings of Jesus.  These parallel the Torah.  Might Christ be the new law giver or the’ fulfiller of the Law person’ as he teaches the sermon from the mount?

Lest we forget, the Gospels were written during the tyrannical reign of Rome.  The Empire was held together by fear and tyranny.  Dissent was stomped out and frequent crucifixions kept the common people in line.  Each morning God’s people woke up to an occupying army at their doors.

Holy Innocents is a dramatic moment that speaks of the power of the Christ and the kingdom of God.  Such power frightens the power of the Empire.  We have a new baby on our hands and he is ushering a new rule that calls into question the powers that be! 

The story of the ‘Empire’ is a narrative of divide and conquer, control and consolidate power and wealth. 

The story of the Empire is a story of death and destruction – a scorched earth policy – the martyrs of the Holy Innocents.  The Empire hunts Jesus and keeps Jesus at a safe distance.

In the Chronicles of Narnia – “The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe” the children ask the animals of Narnia if Aslan, the Lion King, is a good lion, a good king.  The answer given is:  “Yes, he is good, but he is not safe!”

The way of Jesus – the Christian way – is a good way, but it is not a safe way to live.  The Christian path will lead one to face the truth about one’s self and the truth about the Empire in which we are trapped.  Systems of injustice that perpetuate hunger and poverty are in place.  Caught up in such systems it is near to impossible to extricate one’s self and work for justice. 

We are caught in a web – in lifestyles and ways of living that keep those in need at a safe distance.  We want to help others, but we tend to do so through charity and goodwill.  Believe me this world certainly needs charity and goodwill.  However, systems need to change, too.  The way we work as a society needs to change.

A metaphor may be helpful here:

If there is a mad driver injuring people on the road we certainly want to tend those injured.  But if that is all we do, if we do not stop the mad driver and get him off the road and get him help – we can be spending all our time tending the injured, while the mad driver is on the loose.

Systems that keep people from the dignity, from food, water, health - such injustice systems need to be changed.  Charity can help, but the mad driver is still on the loose injuring the innocent.

The Kingdom of God – the story of God’s love in Jesus is a story that calls those very systems into question and redeems them toward compassion and justice.

Christ got away this time.  But there will come a time when he does not escape the power of the Empire.  There will come a day when his radical teachings of love, compassion, justice, and mercy will be put on a cross and his followers will flee to escape the wrath of the Empire.

The Empire strikes back.  It always has and it always will.

Its story of death and destruction may win the current battle, but it will lose the war!

People of faith follow a different narrative – a narrative that leads to life - the story of the Christ.

Although the Empire had its way with Jesus, it did not break God’s bond with humankind.  God raised the Christ and sent the Spirit and the ‘beat goes on’ – the heartbeat of a loving God who will not let us – any of us or the creation -go.

Empires have risen and Empires have fallen – yet, the cross of Christ remains a ‘Sign of the Kingdom’ – a God with us – a God willing to surrender all – so that all might live! 

Matthew is telling us that a cross-less Christmas is nothing more than a sentimental Hallmark Card.

Poet, Ann Weems, writes:

The Cross in the Manger

If there is no cross in the manger,
there is no Christmas.

If the Babe doesn’t become the Adult,
there is no Bethlehem star.

If there is no commitment in us,
there are no wise men searching.

If we offer no cup of cold water,
there is no gold, no frankincense, no myrrh.

If there is no praising God’s name,
there are no angels singing.

If there is no spirit of alleluia,
there are no shepherds watching.

If there is no standing up, no speaking out, no risk,
there is no Herod, no flight into Egypt.

If there is no room in our inn,
then “Merry Christmas” mocks the Christ Child,
and the Holy Family is just a holiday card,
and God will loathe our feasts and festivals.

For if there is no reconciliation,
we cannot call Christ “Prince of Peace”.

If there is no goodwill towards others,
it can all be packed away in boxes for another year.

If there is no forgiveness in us,
there is no cause for celebration.

If we cannot go even now unto Golgotha,
there is no Christmas in us.

If Christmas is not now,
If Christ is not born into the everyday present, 
then what is all the noise about?

From: Kneeling at Bethlehem by Ann Weems, page 77

The story of God’s love in Christ Jesus is constantly haunting us and calling us to live out that story in our lives.  The new story in Christ of new life through death trumps all narratives and carves out the light of hope in a darkened world.

Amen

May be quoted.

No permission necessary.