NOTES for Mat 2:13-23
The coming of Christ into the world is accompanied by a terrible tragedy: the killing of innocent infants. We shudder as we read these lines. But let us compare this episode with the way Christ describes His second coming: "for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places" (Matt 24:7). That is, He foretells tragedies for us, tragedies again. Why, we want to ask, why? Why must our good God come in such a frightening way? But this is only part of the promise. Let us look at chapter 31 of Jeremiah, from which the words in today's fragment are taken: "a voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping." What is it about? A new age. About this: "then the virgin shall rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together; for I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow." We must pass through trial; otherwise there is no way to remove evil from our life, so deeply has it dissolved into it. Trial is inevitable and is caused solely by our sin. "Rejoice in hope" (Rom 12:12), says the apostle. Let us take this call, and hope itself, seriously. For now God is with us.