Conversations with Matthew

by Libby Jewson

Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.

When Herod realised that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under (Matthew 2:16a).

Read Matthew 2:13–23

Author’s note: I felt humbled to be asked to write a devotion series for the LCA Daily Devotions. When I was reading through the options, this week of texts stood out to me. As I reflected, meditated and prayed over the texts, a story started to emerge. A story that was conversational with Matthew and one of the mothers of the babies who were murdered in Bethlehem. Matthew is the writer of the first gospel book, from which the first text (The Innocents) of the devotion series is taken. As I read and re-read the seven texts, a link between each one emerged. So, this week, the mother of one of those babies shares with you her conversations and reflections with Matthew. God bless your reading and reflections this week.

When Matthew asked me about my experience, it was hard for me to put into words. The morning was beautiful, sunny, still, and the colour of everything seemed holy. My village was bursting with something overflowing with mystery.

My heart quickened, and sorrow, grief, joy and love engulfed me all at once as I tried to describe to Matthew what had happened on that day and what has happened since. I heard the screaming from afar – but I guess under the rule of Herod, screams of pain, anger, anxiety and oppression were common. Herod’s unpredictable anger and jealousy ruled over us like some invisible power that we couldn’t defend against.

I heard the soldiers coming down our street – my 18-month-old boy was sleeping. I was kneading the bread and humming gently to myself. It was a perfect moment of joy and thankfulness, when all of a sudden, deep dread entered my door. The soldiers found our little one, took him outside and murdered him. Even now, words are hard to find as I try to tell Matthew what happened. It was like the ache of life came all at once into my heart. I tried with all my power to stop them – but as always, they were too strong, too powerful, too driven for me to change the outcome. Our little boy lay motionless, devoid of life. I suddenly realised that my neighbour, too, was distraught, and the woman up the road, and suddenly a collective wail of uncontrolled grief entered our village.

Part of my heart seemed to die with our little boy that day, and all I could think of was how Herod could order this to happen. I just wanted to be with our little boy, and at the same time, the words of Jeremiah kept reverberating in my mind. Yes, I thought, I will talk to Matthew tomorrow when he comes back about the words of Jeremiah.

 Jesus the Christ, as we pray together, may our collective prayer be one of reflection and love, knowing that you are with us, in our wailing, in our grief, in our sorrow – whatever that looks like for us. Amen.

• Click here to read previous devotions.
• We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
• Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.