"Jesus' Family as Refugees"

"Mary, Joseph, and the Child Jesus flee death by escaping to Egypt"

Question:  Was the advent period and the build up to Christmas Eve different from other years for you?   What insights or revelations did you learn from your experience this year? 

Dec 29 2013 Readings: Matthew 2: 13-23,  

We heard through scripture over the Advent weeks leading up the Christmas Eve, the struggles and hardships that both Mary and Joseph had to endure to bring Jesus into the world, yet the attributes of hope, peace, joy and love would be found in the midst of their difficult journey and the birth of Mary’s Boy child.  But the tranquility of the birth and the quietness of the stable was soon to disappear as we heard in the scripture this morning.  Jesus was no longer a baby but now a young infant living in Bethlehem when trouble begins to follow the Holy family once again.  Let us not forget the image of the Holy Family as refugees, fleeing oppression with the threat of certain death.  In fact that is what happened to them.  I believe we must include them as part of the refugee families that are fleeing oppression and the threat of death in many parts of our world today.  But as difficult as it was for Joseph and Mary to trust God they did, and God always came to their rescue.  In fact folks, the whole of the Old Testament is about God rescuing His children in times of despair.

The infant has just received extravagant gifts from exotic visitors from and foreign land, the Magi.  The meaning of His birth, the promise of His life seemed so momentous, so filled with hope, peace, joy and love, and now troubles are brewing once more.    Joseph is awakened by yet another visit from one of God’s angles in a dream.  “There is someone in search of the boy, and they want him dead.”  Can you imagine the panic?  Joseph is once again thrust into despair.  You can just imagine the frenzy of activity around their home, both Mary and Joseph quickly packing whatever they can gather together for yet another journey.  Now it’s out to the street, then to the road that leads to Egypt as fast as possible.   Joseph is now in fear every time he sees a Roman soldier on the road.  The nightmare doesn’t end when they reach their place of refuge either, as word of genocide reaches them, stained with the blood of the first born male of every Jewish mother in the region.  Their wailing and cries can be heard as far away as Egypt.  Can’t you just hear those without faith accusing God, “Heavenly Father why are you letting this happen, why do you not stop this bloodshed?”  We can assume that both Mary and Joseph would be fully aware of the reason why these children were being slaughtered, yet, at the same time in all this chaos and mayhem, they somehow have held onto their hope, trusting that God was weaving a safe path for both parents and child.   Mary and Joseph had been obedient to God’s will for their family.  They had been open, listening and attentive to the Angles nudges.  

For them and for us today the reality of our chaotic world doesn’t stop after the Christmas celebrations end.  For those who have experienced Jesus’ spirit being birth within themselves, it often intensives troubles and hardship for the believers, as it did for Mary and Joseph. Sing “Through It All”

The question we might ask here is: what in this story, can help us today?

May I suggest that God doesn’t interfere in our daily lives by stopping us from making choices, even if our choices create kayos for both us and our neighbor?  But God also doesn’t just stand aside, doing nothing.  No, no we must continue to trust as did Mary and Joseph that God is always working in the background on our behalf and in all situations, working for goodness to prevail, even when hope seems to have avoided us.

We can learn from Joseph and Mary’s choices here because they chose to put their trust in God and in God’s messengers.  The example for us here is: to continue to follow God’s nudging in life.  By them doing so, Jesus is safely returned to Jerusalem to fulfill his destiny.  I believe that same goes for us to.  This is where we must choose to follow our faith by putting our trust in God, for God will make us a way too.  Don’t give in to difficult circumstances but continue to keep hope, peace, joy and love alive in your life.   Do you know the song: “Over my Head I hear Music in the Air”

In the kayos and craziness of the material Christmas that many of us had been caught up in again this year, how attentive, open and listing to the spirit have you been this year?   The Apostil Paul often reminds us that we, like Jesus, have a loving parent who will not leave us stripped bare and alone to face worldly dangers.   As Mary wrapped her Child in the warmth of love and compassion, so God our parent offers to us, spiritual cloth to wrap ourselves in.  This special spiritual cloth contains the gifts of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, love, forgiveness and peace.  May we seek and accept these gifts from God, and may we wear them in life-changing ways as we go forward.

In conclusion many have in their hearts already put away Christmas for next year?   May I suggest putting away the stable, the manger the oxen, sheep, shepherds and Magi, but less us not put away Jesus and his family.   They need to remain visible, to remind us of the story because there are many who still reject or ignore the message that Christmas brings.  

When times are difficult for you, when the road ahead looks bleak and there seems to be no way, God will make a way for you to.  Faith in God is more precious than the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Mere Folks.   Let us continue our journey with the Holy Family in the next few days so we too can experience the complete Christmas.  And let us wait in expectation of the spirit being birthed in you, for He shall come again.