The Twelve Days of Christmas
The Twelve Days of Christmas are an ideal time to reflect on the life of the Holy Family, as pictured in church art.
9. The Childhood of Christ
“Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was obedient to them. His mother pondered all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in age and in grace with God and men.” (Luke 2:50-51)
7. The Flight into Egypt
“An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and instructed him, “Arise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Remain there until I tell you. Herod seeks the child to kill him.” Therefore, he got up, took the child and his mo
Jesus Christ, Son of Man
25th December “The Son of Man has come to seek out and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10) The birth of Jesus on Christmas Day brought many of the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah to fulfilment. As the carol has it, the hopes and fears
The Life of St Joseph (Matthew 1:18-2:23)
St Joseph is probably best-known for his key role in the Nativity, but there are several other episodes recorded in the gospels that tell us more about his life.
The Stay in Egypt (Hosea 11:1-4)
In his gospel, St Matthew links the stay of the Holy Family in Egypt with a saying from the Prophet Hosea about the recall of God's Son from Egypt.
The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)
The biblical story of the Flight into Egypt explains how Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus fled to Egypt to escape King Herod's wrath and seek refuge there until it was safe to return.
The Childhood of Christ (Luke 2:39-40; 51-52)
Although it’s a favourite subject in art, little is actually known of the childhood of Christ. St Luke's gospel says that after his birth in Bethlehem, he grew up in Nazareth, living in obedience to his parents.