We continue our four-week series, What Keeps You Awake At Night?, this week with focus on Matthew 2.19-23. Mary, Joseph and Jesus journey home from Egypt. The death of Herod provides no relief for them. Joseph learns that Archelaus, the son of Herod, was the new ruler. Archelaus was every bit as cutthroat as his father before him. The family seeks safety in the town of Nazareth.
Outline of the series
January 4 Matthew 2.1-12 Epiphany Sunday
January 11 Matthew 2.13-18
January 18 Matthew 2.19-23
January 25 Mark 1.14-20
Read Matthew 2.19-23. The biblical narrative invites us to imagine the beginning years of life for the Holy Family. Like our own lives, theirs involved decisions about traveling, settling, and building their life together as they seek safety and security. We might imagine this as the task for every person in every age. We are born, we mature and make choices about how we want to live. We live into those choices and then, ultimately our lives come to an end and the next generation does the same. It is the circle of life. (cue Disney theme song here!)
In his book “After the Ecstasy, the Laundry”, Buddhist monk Jack Kornfield writes about a Buddhist leader who found and achieved great spiritual awakening in his life which gave him a feeling of ecstasy and joy:
“Some months after all this ecstasy came a depression, along with some significant betrayals in my work. I had continuing trouble with my children and family too. Oh, my teaching was fine. I could give inspired lectures, but if you talk to my wife, she’ll tell you that as the time passed I became grouchy and as impatient as ever. I knew that this great spiritual vision was the truth, and it was there underneath, but I also recognized how many things didn’t change at all. To be honest, my mind and personality were pretty much the same, and my neuroses too….” (page xvi).
In our community we seek to root our lives in Grace, grow in faith and reach in love. Each week we gather in groups we call Kitchen Tables to ask the same question: how is it with your soul?
If you are part of our community, how does this process of gathering each week bring you excitement and joy? In what ways might this gathering and process become routine or stale for you? How does this contrast cause you anxiety or keep you awake at night?