Epiphany - and flight

As we mark the Christmas season, we hear from this chapter a great deal. The Feast of the Holy Family, celebrated first, tells of the flight into Egypt. The Feast of the Epiphany tells of the visit of the magi.

Both of these, told together, set up the balance between the Jewish and Gentile themes. Jesus, like the Hebrew people before him, takes refuge in Egypt, and then returns. The magi represent all the nations who come to recognize him.

As you read and reflect on this chapter, see the themes take shape and continue to draw the lines between them and the other chapters you have read.