Refugees

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’ When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’ When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’ Matthew 2:13-23

We don't often talk about the Egyptian years, when Jesus, Mary and Joseph spent many years in exile as refugees in Egypt. They may have had family and friends there, but maybe not. They could have been complete strangers, Joseph taking daily work and keeping their heads down to avoid the authorities. Even when they returned, they could not go home. We live in a land where the predominance of citizens are immigrants, as well as refugees and asylum seekers. Those who arrived several generations back seem to loathe those who are just arriving, seeking asylum, work and a new life. And those of us whose people call this land home for thousands and thousands of years, look on with great sadness. What if we treated all our refugees as the Holy family, with the kind of welcome, hospitality and compassion of those who greeted the very first European settlers?

Loving God, who knows life as a refugee

who knows rejection, danger and scorn

despite the vile human treatment received

you love us all as your beloved children.

We prove over and over our lack of gratitude

we live as if we can claim this land as property

we forget that we have been blessed with abundance

and that there is room at your table for all.

Help us to see Jesus in the stranger and refugee

help us to be those who welcome and embrace

let us live with the compassion you have for us

sharing your love with the hurting people here. Amen.