Matthew 2

The Escape to Egypt

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

The Massacre of the Infants

16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, 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 magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

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.”

The Return from Egypt

19 When 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.” 21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling 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. 23 There 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 Nazarene.”

Isaiah 63

God’s Mercy Remembered

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 act deceitfully,”

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 pity it was he who redeemed them;

he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Get Up and Go

A Litany of Sending

Leader:

The angels have spoken,

the child has been born,

and the world still trembles between fear and hope.

People:

Yet God entrusts the future to faithful hearts.

Leader:

When the road ahead is unclear,

when obedience stretches our understanding,

when staying put feels safer than love—

People:

God invites us: Get up and go.

Leader:

When fear seeks control,

when power treats people as expendable,

when the vulnerable are placed at risk—

People:

God whispers: Do not be afraid.

Leader:

When faith requires movement,

when love asks us to participate,

when trust matters more than certainty—

People:

God calls us: Follow me.

Leader:

The Holy Family fled in trust.

God worked through ordinary courage.

And salvation took root in unexpected places.

People:

We trust the God who redeems beyond what we can see.

Leader:

So go now—

not as liabilities to be managed, but as partners to be trusted;

not guarding power, but protecting life;

not clinging to fear, but walking in love.

People:

We will get up and go.

Leader:

Go in peace,

participating in God’s reconciling work.

People:

We go in peace.

Amen.