Image result for flight into egypt clipart

 

 

Whatever else be lost among the years,

Let us keep Christmas still a shining thing:

Whatever doubts assail us, or what fears,

Let us hold close one day, remembering

Its poignant meaning for the hearts of men.

Let us get back our childlike faith again.

~ Grace Noll Crowell

 

 

13Now 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.” 14Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15and 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.”

16When 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. 17Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 
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.”

19When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 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.” 21Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22But 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. 23There 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."

Matthew 2:13-23

Joseph’s Dream

GANDOLFI, Gaetano

1790

PrivateCollection

 

Notes:

Gaetano Gandolfi was an Italian artist, both a sculptor and painter, during the late Baroque and early Neoclassic periods. In Joseph’s Dream, we see a dozing Joseph who appears to have just stopped to take a rest in the middle of a task. His sandals are still on his feet and his walking stick resting beside him. The angel gently touches Joseph’s arm as he sleeps. When Joseph awakes, he will be ready to go and do as the angel instructed, saying, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

 

https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl?SID=20221231700540194&code=ACT&RC=54282&Row=4

 

 

 

 



Our uniqueness, our individuality, and our life experience

molds us into fascinating beings.

I hope we can embrace that.

I pray we may all challenge ourselves

to delve into the deepest resources of our hearts

to cultivate an atmosphere of

understanding, acceptance, tolerance, and compassion.

We are all in this life together.

~ Linda Thompson

 

 

 

 



  

  Ed Herrman with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Longfellow's Christmas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNbdiU1HzUs

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve

at Tuscany Tavern

Such wonderful and amazing people!

 

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service and singing at Church of the Hills

 

 

Christmas_candles.jpg

 

 

Then on to Hanna Holt’s home for Christmas cheer.

 

 

 

John and Barbara Wingate

 

The evening was topped off with Bill Manning's

rousing reading of The Night Before Christmas!

 

 

 

 

AT THE END OF THE YEAR

 

As this year draws to its end,

We give thanks for the gifts it brought

And how they became inlaid within

Where neither time nor tide can touch them

The darkened days that stopped

The confidence of the dawn.



Days when beloved faces shone brighter

With light from beyond themselves;

And from the granite of some secret sorrow

A stream of buried tears loosened.

 

We bless this year for all we learned,

For all we loved and lost

And for the quiet way it brought us

Nearer to our invisible destination.

~ John O’Donohue

(To Bless the Space Between Us)

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 1, 2023  First Sunday of Christmas - Year A

 

Previous OPQs may be found at: 

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

comic

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

Christmas isn’t over...

more …

https://thejesusquestion.org/2015/12/27/christmas-isnt-over/

 

 

No photo description available.

 

 

Happy New Year 2023 GIF Images — Download on Funimada.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 63:7-9

Psalm 148

Hebrews 2:10-18

Matthew 2:13-23

 

 

 

First Reading Isaiah 63:7-9

7   I will recount the gracious deeds of the LORD, 
          the praiseworthy acts of the LORD, 
     because of all that the LORD has done for us, 
          and the great favor to the house of Israel 
     that he has shown them according to his mercy, 
          according to the abundance of his steadfast love. 
8   For he said, “Surely they are my people, 
          children who will not deal falsely”; 
     and he became their savior 
9        in all their distress. 
     It was no messenger or angel 
          but his presence that saved them; 
     in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; 
          he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Psalm 148

1   Praise the Lord! 
     Praise the Lord from the heavens; 
          praise him in the heights! 
2   Praise him, all his angels; 
          praise him, all his host!

3   Praise him, sun and moon; 
          praise him, all you shining stars! 
4   Praise him, you highest heavens, 
          and you waters above the heavens!

5   Let them praise the name of the Lord, 
          for he commanded and they were created. 
6   He established them forever and ever; 
          he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. 

7   Praise the Lord from the earth, 
          you sea monsters and all deeps, 
8   fire and hail, snow and frost, 
          stormy wind fulfilling his command!

9  Mountains and all hills, 
          fruit trees and all cedars! 
10  Wild animals and all cattle, 
          creeping things and flying birds!

11  Kings of the earth and all peoples, 
          princes and all rulers of the earth! 
12  Young men and women alike, 
          old and young together!

13  Let them praise the name of the Lord, 
          for his name alone is exalted; 
          his glory is above earth and heaven. 
14  He has raised up a horn for his people, 
          praise for all his faithful, 
          for the people of Israel who are close to him. 
     Praise the Lord!

Second Reading Hebrews 2:10-18

10It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12saying, 
     “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, 
          in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” 
13And again, 
     “I will put my trust in him.” 
And again, 
     “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”

14Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. 17Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. 18Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Gospel Matthew 2:13-23

13Now 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.” 14Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15and 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.”

16When 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. 17Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 
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.”

19When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 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.” 21Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22But 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. 23There 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.”