Today’s Advent Reflection is from Louise Richardson.
Escape to Egypt!
Matthew 2:13-18
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.’
Reflection
Matthew 2 13-18 tells us of the Angel appearing to Joseph in a dream warning him to flee with Mary and the child Jesus to Egypt as Herod was about to search for the child and kill him. Joseph took heed of this warning and stayed in Egypt until the death of Herod. Herod, furious at being tricked by the wise men, sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under. Then the prophesy of Jeremiah was fulfilled – the wailing and loud lamentation of Rachel weeping for her children because they are no more.
What does this bring to mind for you as we travel through the season of Advent; what hope in such a time of despair; what comfort and joy in such time of insecurity and sadness? For me, it reminds me that there are situations happening today that are not so different from the experience of Joseph, Mary and Jesus as they fled Herod.
Reflecting on this passage brings to my mind a number of really strong images.
The first is that of present-day refugees fleeing persecution in their native countries, fleeing violence, fleeing war. The sad faces of children who should not have to witness the atrocities they see, their pained faces as they are treated in hospitals by medics who are fighting to save lives with inadequate equipment and medicines in inadequate, ravaged buildings. The worried faces of their parents who only want give their children what every parent wants to give - a safe, healthy life. Their hope is a new life in a country with no war, where their children can flourish as children should. For some, they achieve this aim crossing borders, but for many they spend many months, if not years, in refugee camps awaiting their fate. Others risk their lives crossing the sea in boats which are overloaded and unsafe, having paid people who exploit their situation more money than they can ever afford in an attempt to find peace.
Joseph, Mary and Jesus were refugees in Egypt. Joseph did what he had to do to protect his family, not returning to his homeland until it was safe to do so. This is exactly what today’s refugees are doing but for some reason, many in our society don’t see this – rather they see refugees as the lowest of the low.
How would we respond today were Joseph, Mary and Jesus to arrive on our shores seeking refuge? Would we embrace them, provide comfort and hope of a better future? Or would we reject them, dashing their hopes and condemning them to a life of fear, despair, persecution and possible death?
The second image this brings to mind, is that of the homeless. Again, people who live on the margins of society who find themselves, largely through no fault of their own, without shelter and sustenance. The numbers of people who are struggling to make ends meet as a result of COVID-19, who have lost their jobs and have no prospect of finding another in the near future, whose physical and mental health are suffering, will no doubt result in a further increase in the numbers of homeless people. Or, at a minimum, an increase in those who rely heavily, if not solely, on Foodbanks to provide food for them and their families.
I doubt that many of us here in Bramhall have experienced either of these situations, but I know that there are many that have been badly affected by their experience over the last few months – particularly, but not exclusively, those who live alone, those in abusive relationships and vulnerable children who have missed contact with people outside the home. They will have felt isolated, frightened and in despair, and those who have lost loved ones.
Yet what we have seen is a community that has come together to support one another – with collections for the food bank; Helping Hands providing support to the vulnerable; neighbours looking out for one another - to name but a few ways in which this has been experienced.
So as Christians, as we look forward to celebrating an important time in our Church year, let us take time during Advent to:
· reflect on and be grateful for the comfort and joy that we have experienced even during the darkest times of the imposed lockdowns but;
· also take a moment to consider those who seek refuge, those on the margins of society for whom the comfort and joy that most of us, by and large, have and will continue to experience is still so far away; and,
· reflect on what we can do to as individuals to address the inequalities and injustices we observe on a daily basis.
As we prepare to share in the celebration of Christ’s birth, let us look forward to the future with renewed faith, taking comfort in the fact that even though there will continue to be dark times ahead, there is also light.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the hope and joy that you bring to us through your Son, Jesus Christ, light of the world. Bring comfort to those who are persecuted and who are forced to flee their homes in search of a safe haven and a better future for themselves and their children; to those who find themselves at the margins of society, who cannot see a way out of their current situation; to those who have lost loved ones and who fear facing the future alone. Help everyone to share in the joy of the birth of your Son and look forward with hope for a better future. Amen.