He thought that, in this way, the Child Jesus would certainly perish.
But the angel of the Lord appeared at the same time [1] by night to Joseph, and said: “Arise, and take the Child and His Mother, and fly into Egypt[2] and be there until I shall tell thee; for Herod seeks the Child, to destroy Him.” Then Joseph arose[3], took the Child and His Mother by night, and retired into Egypt.
Hardly had the Holy Family departed from Bethlehem, when the men of blood whom Herod had chosen to execute his cruel order, suddenly rushed into the city, dragged the infants from the arms of their mothers, and massacred them all. Then was heard throughout the city of David the piteous cry of the bereaved mothers, mourning and bewailing the innocent babes that were so cruelly put to death by the tyrant.
- ↑ The same time. Soon after the Magi had adored the Child Jesus and had returned to their home.
- ↑ Egypt. There Herod could not touch the Child. Egypt was indeed a pagan land, but there were some Jews living in it who were able to observe, unhindered, their own law.
- ↑ Arose. How horrified St. Joseph must have been when he learnt Herod’s wicked intention. The Divine Child — all that he treasured most — in danger of death 1 He did not hesitate a moment, but rose up at once, in the middle of the night, and, fetching an ass, placed upon it the amazed Mother with her Child, and hastened off, walking by their side, so as to get as soon as possible out of the territory of Herod. They travelled through the Arabian desert as far as the land of Gessen where, once upon a time, the patriarchs of their people, Jacob and his sons, had dwelt. The journey was one of two hundred miles, and was full of difficulties and dangers, arising from want of water and from the attacks of robbers and wild beasts. In their love of Jesus, however, Mary and Joseph thought but little of their difficulties and deprivations, and went on their way, full of patience and submission to God’s will; until, at length, after enduring the hardships of a journey that lasted about ten days, they reached Gessen.
