December 30 - Holy Family Sunday

The Flight to Egypt Matthew 2:13-23

Will Wlllimon, a university chaplain, was preaching the big Christmas Eve service, and in the congregation noticed a history professor who was well-known for his skepticism toward Christianity.  After the service he approached the preacher and he was all smiles.  

“I finally figured out why people like Christmas services.”

“Really.  Do tell me.”

“It’s all about the birth of a baby.  A baby doesn’t threaten or challenge anyone.  The whole thing is just a happy event.”

 “Doesn’t threaten anyone?”

Obviously, that skeptical history professor didn’t know the rest of the story.  We’re only in chapter two of Matthew’s gospel, and this baby poses such a threat to the local ruler that he’s willing to kill innocent babies just to get rid of him.  Throughout his ministry, people found Jesus a threat.  He upset those in power, and suffered the usual fate of people who do that.

 King Herod was a ruler to fear.  He thought nothing of killing members of his own family - even his wife - when he suspected them of scheming against him.  As Herod’s power had increased, so had his paranoia - a familiar progression as dictators around the world have shown from that day to this.  Just think of Sadam Huesain, who murdered relatives and friends because he thought they were plotting against him.

 An angel warns Joseph of the danger from Herod.  They must leave Bethlehem - not to go home to Nazareth, for it is also under Herod’s rule - but to journey to Egypt in Africa.

In today’s vocabulary, from an Egyptian point of view, they were illegal immigrants.  For several years they were strangers in a foreign land – refuges from King Herod’s cruel and bloody rule.

Jesus is born into a world where the innocent suffer, and he too will suffer and die, that he might understand our suffering and be compassionate.

 A couple of years ago I heard a story about a Christmas pageant in a prison.  A group of prisoners worked with the chaplain to act out the story of Christmas for the other prisoners.

 They made the props and costumes themselves, out of things that were available in a prison, which required some imagination.

Of course they didn’t have a doll to use for the baby Jesus, so the chaplain took something and wrapped it in a blanket, and gave it to the prisoner who played MARY.

The show went on - the Christmas story was portrayed in that prison - complete with Christmas Carols.

Then at the very end, Mary revealed her baby, very carefully unwrapping the blanket.  Inside was not a doll, but a cross - the crucifix from the chaplain’s office.

A cross in the blanket - a crucifix in the manger.

The shadow of the cross falls over the story of Jesus’ birth. On this Sunday, just days after the glorious celebration of the coming of the Son of God in Bethlehem, the gospel reminds us that the Christ born in the manger has been born into a life of suffering and rejection.  And so, he can identify himself with all who are rejected or suffer.

In our 2nd lesson we read:  “Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”  And how is it that he has become one with us and call us His brothers and sisters?

 “The pioneer of our salvation” was made “perfect through sufferings.” says our lesson.  “He, Jesus, had to become like us, his brothers and sisters, in every respect, so that he might be merciful and faithful . . .”

 “Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”  Hebrews 2:17,18

 

Jesus is the pioneer of our salvation because he became perfected or complete through his identification with human pain.  It is through Jesus - and even through his suffering and death, that we, his brothers and sisters find the way to healing, wholeness and new life.  God is not a distant observer of humanity, who looks dispassionately at our struggles, but a God who enters the life of His children, by coming in person and coming alongside us, as we deal with the pain and the joy of life.

We have this word: “He is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters.”  Christ stands by us, and He understands. Only one who is like us “in every respect” could help us.

In the church calendar, today is Holy Family Sunday, since the gospel always focuses on Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus.  And if you look at our 2^nd lesson - the reading from Hebrews - the words that jump off the page are those concerned with family relationships - father and children, brothers and sisters.

 But look at what happens to that Holy Family.  God did not provide an easy, comfortable family life for His Son

Maybe God’s idea of “family values” is not about the acquisition of stuff to provide a good life, and not about self-indulgence.  God’s family values are about a life modeled on a life of service, self-sacrifice and self-denial.  Ask any mother and she can tell you in detail about denial and sacrifice, and maybe those attitudes need to be passed on to or children.

Rather than making life easy and untroubled for our children, we could instead model for them the hard stuff of life - what it means to live generously, to give rather than receive, to care about and for others, and to see others as children of the same heavenly Father - and thus our brothers and sisters, who are respected and accepted even if they are very different.

It seems the Holy Family is always traveling – seeking a room to stay.  First in Bethlehem, finally only finding room in a stable.  Then that journey to Egypt, where they are strangers dependent on the hospitality of others.  

Maybe Christ is still traveling, looking for hospitality, asking for room in our hearts.  Where today might you see Christ?

We can see the face of Christ in the faces of those in need.  Jesus says when we offer food to the hungry, we are feeding him; in giving to those in need, we give to Christ.  When we visit the sick, we are visiting him.  When we welcome the stranger, we welcome him.

Christ speaks to us in the voices of those around us.  Our brothers and sisters in the faith, but also through the strangers we welcome.  They may be sent to us by the Lord with a word we need to hear.

The gospels imply that as an adult living in Nazareth, Jesus worked as a carpenter.  But then he left Nazareth to begin his ministry, traveling around Galilee and Judea, from village to village.  But there’s no suggestion that he took his carpenter’s tools with him, so he could do odd jobs to earn a living.  Nor did his companions, like Peter and Andrew, continue their fishing.

 So how did they eat?  Where did they stay?

Apparently many people in different places offered Jesus and his companions hospitality - food and shelter, companionship and love.  And that’s still true.  As we offer our hospitality and acceptance, and companionship, we are continuing that tradition.  Our hospitality gives us an opportunity, in our time and place, to welcome Jesus.

At Christmas, we celebrate the coming of God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, who is Emmanuel, God with us.  The Son of God became incarnate - dwelling in the world - embodied in His followers. Today’s gospel reminds us that Christ was born into a world where life is hard and the innocent suffer.

At Christmas,  the Son of God came to earth to experience life just as we do.  He was acquainted with our grief and our joys, our sorrows and our hopes, our hurts and dreams, our fits and starts in being a true human family in Christ.  He lived among us in our broken humanity, and shows us the way to be whole.

 “He is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters”.

And we are not ashamed to call one another brothers and sisters. As Christ stands by us as our brother,  so we are to stand by our brothers and sisters.  We can be little Christ’s to one another – companions in joy and sorrow.  

The good news is that God has given us one another - the church, the body of Christ - and made us more than friends, but rather His new holy family.

 Like the first holy family, we are called to LIVE BY FAITH, going on with courage, even tho’ we can not see the end of the journey, simply knowing that His hand will lead us, and His love support us.

So let us walk by faith, leaning on the Lord, trusting in His Holy Word, for we’ve come this far by faith, and He’s never failed us yet. Amen