Flight into Egypt

==Commentary==
[[Cornelius a Lapide]], commenting on the flight into Egypt wrote that, "[[Tropological reading|tropologically]], Christ fled into Egypt that He might teach us to despise [[exile]], and that we, as pilgrims and exiles on the earth, might pant after and strive for heaven as our true country. Whence [[Peter Chrysologus]] says (Serm. 115), “Christ fled that He might make it more tolerable for us, when we have to flee in persecution.” S. [[Gregory the Theologian|Gregory Nazian]]. (Orat. 28) says—“Every land, and no land is my country.” No land was Gregory’s country, because heaven was his country. Again, every land was his country, because he looked upon the whole world as his country. Thus [[Socrates]], when he was asked what countryman he was, replied, “A citizen of the world.”<ref>{{cite book|title=The great commentary of Cornelius à Lapide|url=http://www.catholicapologetics.info/scripture/newtestament/Lapide.htm|author-link=Cornelius a Lapide|first=Cornelius|last=Lapide|translator=Thomas Wimberly Mossman|year=1889}}</ref>

[[Justus Knecht]] notes that the flight shows ''The Omniscience of God'', writing, "God knew that in the morning Herod would send soldiers to Bethlehem, to slay the little boys under two years old; therefore He ordered St. Joseph to flee in the middle of the night. The Lord God knew also the moment of Herod’s death, as well as the evil disposition of his son and successor, Archelaus. He therefore warned St. Joseph not to return to Judaea, but to take up his abode at Nazareth in Galilee."<ref>{{cite book|chapter=[[s:A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture/IX. The Flight into Egypt|Chapter IX. The Flight into Egypt]]|title=A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture|year=1910|publisher=B. Herder|first=Friedrich Justus|last=Knecht|author-link=Justus Knecht}}</ref>

[[Roger Baxter]] reflects on the flight in his ''Meditations'' writing, "How different are the thoughts of God from the thoughts of men! Christ was no sooner born, than sent into banishment. The Almighty could easily have rid the world of Herod, or have appeased his anger, or have rendered His divine Son invisible; but He adopted the ordinary means of safety, and His Son must fly. Reflect how derogatory this was to the dignity of the Redeemer, and how full of inconveniences. Thus God always treats those whom He loves best. Are you greater or better than the Son of God? Why, then, do you complain when His providence prepares crosses for you?"<ref>{{cite book|chapter=[[s:Meditations_For_Every_Day_In_The_Year/From_Christmas_to_Septuagesima_Sunday#130|Christ's Flight into Egypt]]|title=Meditations For Every Day In The Year|year=1823|publisher=Benziger Brothers|first=Roger|last=Baxter|author-link=Roger Baxter|location=New York}}</ref>