From the Pastor

Dec. 28, 2025

The Sunday between Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary (Jan. 1) is always celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Family. The Gospel for the feast, for Year A of our three-year cycle of readings, is the story of the flight into Egypt. This is a most dramatic scene, and a most tragic scene, which reminds us once again that this child has been born to be a warrior and to die for all of us.
    
Jesus has come into the world as a helpless, defenseless child, just like all of us. He has emptied Himself of power and glory, as He is born in a stable in the tiny village of Bethlehem. King Herod had sent the Magi to locate the child, ostensibly to come and worship Him, but in reality, he wished to execute the child. When the Magi returned home by a different route, Herod realized that he had been tricked. Enraged, he ordered the killing of all the boys under the age of 2, who lived in the area. This recalls Pharoah’s direction that all the boys should be killed, leading to Moses being taken in by Pharoah’s daughter. Jesus will be the new Moses.

The angel appeared to Joseph and told him to take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, until Herod was dead. He did so, and Jesus lived in Egypt for a few years. We do not know how many years for sure. When they returned, Herod’s son was ruling, so they went up to Nazareth, which was outside the reign of the Herodian family.
    
On this day we pray for all families, especially those who are refugees fleeing persecution, poverty, and warfare. May they find peace.
—Fr. Mike Comer