Reflections with Matthew

by Libby Jewson

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Long ago the Lord said to Israel: ‘I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself’ (Jeremiah 31:3).

Read Jeremiah 31:1–6

These devotions reflect on the week’s readings through a narrative retelling. As the writer reflected, meditated and prayed over the texts, she says a story started to emerge. This is an imagined dialogue formed between Matthew and a Bethlehem mother affected by Herod’s massacre. The devotions follow this mother’s reflections across the week, inviting us to consider God’s compassion, faithfulness and hope.

Oh, Matthew – how could this happen to the families of Bethlehem? All the little shrouds of little people lined up, side-by-side. Fear and fragility hovered over all of us on that day. I know many years have now passed since that happened, and while the memories fade, their vividness, too, is at times overpowering.

When I think about my life and the lives of the other parents of those beautiful little boys, I think about how Herod killed our children, trying to kill the one called Jesus, whom he knew might be a threat to his rule. Yes, Jesus emerged in these parts as someone talking about extraordinary things. Many saw and heard this person, Jesus – I watched how the crowds followed him, how everyone talked about this person with wonder, with questions, trying to understand his stories and how they applied to those of us who listened.

Somehow, he broke the barriers of race, of wealth, of humanity and gradually encountered a completely new way of understanding the world – one of forgiveness and of peace. He rose again – a totally unbelievable event that showed that God had conquered death for all humanity.

I, too, experienced the reflection of how Jesus works in the hearts of people – with love, kindness and an authenticity that I have not encountered before. I know this because for many years after the tragedy of our little boys, love flourished in our community – somehow bread was baked and gifted, vegetables grown and given, a listening ear was shared and an encircling of strength caressed us. Words of despair and grief were never discouraged but were given time to rest and be absorbed by those who understood. Gradually, strength and joy returned, but life was never the same.

Throughout my life, I could feel God’s everlasting love and faithfulness. I know that God’s love through Jesus and his Spirit is with the whole community of Bethlehem and me forever.

Thank you, Matthew, for listening. For opening up the story to share with others throughout the world, both in this time and for years and years to come. I look forward to chatting again tomorrow. I wanted to tell you, too, Matthew, that today, I can hear God through Jeremiah:

I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

Ever faithful, loving God, thank you for Jesus, the changemaker of the world. Thank you for Matthew and the other storytellers in the New Testament. Help us all to be part of the forgiveness, kindness and love in Jesus’ story. Help us to encourage each other with your everlasting love and your continued faithfulness to humanity. Amen.

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