How Can I Help?

​​A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, December 28th, 2025:
The Feast of the Holy Family

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Matthew
2.13-15, 19-23

After the wise men 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.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 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.”

When Herod died, an Angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “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.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over 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. 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 Nazorean.”

​​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

A line that calls my attention the most in this Gospel reading is: “This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the Prophet.” It appears twice in the reading. As I pondered on this, I began to imagine how intentional God is about us His children. He had brought Christ, “the light of the world”, to us. Before that light was fully seen and recognized by us, the “world” tried to extinguish it. But He, being God, already knew this would happen, so He had a plan to protect our gift. We did not know what had been given to us at the time until when Christ was fully revealed. 

Similarly, in our daily lives we sometimes do not realize the blessings, giftings and/or talents that God has placed in us or do not realize these giftings are for His glory. But guess what–our heavenly Father has also factored that in. Yes! He has factored in every inch of our ignorance, self-doubt, and worry, and extends His grace that we may know that it is by His help that our eyes are opened to see and understand that which He has given. 

In this Gospel reading, Joseph exemplifies recognition and deployment of gifts. I marvel every time I read or listen to this Gospel. How Joseph heard God clearly in the midst of all the events occurring at the time. (I probably would have been too busy asking God, “Why a manger?” Or, “How are we going to sleep here in the manger?” Whew!) It appeared as though once the baby was born, Joseph turned to God to say, we still trust your leadership.  

Perhaps that trust and assurance born from a place of total surrender to God made it easy for him to move swiftly with God’s plan. 

This season, God calls us to spend some time with Him in prayer, praise, worship and scripture reading. He wants us to let Him have the heavy lifting, so that we can have clarity to recognize that which He shows us.

Father, grant us the grace to trust in You completely and open our eyes to recognize our giftings and use them to Your honour and glory. Amen




Celia Omionawele​

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