CHRIST IN THE REFUGEE MATTHEW 2.1 23
CHRIST IN THE REFUGEE: MATTHEW 2:1-23 Read James Martin’s article: “Were Jesus, Mary, and Joseph refugees? Yes.”
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What is the author’s thesis?
Jesus Mary and Joseph were refugees.
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Give two quotations and explain how these quotes give evidence to support the author’s thesis.
"A family is forced to flee their homeland for fear of persecution. This is the classic modern-day definition of a refugee." - by showing the definition of a refugee, Martin is able to very simply show the parallels between the modern refugee and the holy family.
"Ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτoν.... Transliterated, that is Egertheis paralabe to paidion kai tēn mētera autou kai pheuge eis Aigypton.... Or, “Arise, and take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt....” (Mt 2:13)." - The original Greek shows that the angels of god did not suggest to Joseph to 'leave', instead, they ordered him to 'flee with his family'. Joseph has no choice but to leave, other than face death. This makes the holy family refugees.
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Personal Reflection: What is challenging/enlightening/thought-provoking about the article for you? Explain. (No right answer here, as long as you show you are thoughtfully considering the implications of the article and giving sound reasoning for your opinions)
The angel literally tells joseph to "flee" to Egypt, almost literally calling them refugees.
Listen to Carlos’ Story: This father and son pair came to the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, MX which is a Catholic non-profit seeking to provide accompaniment and advocacy for migrants.
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What from the story stands out to you and why?
It stands out that Carlos needed to leave to get the education he desired. His family decided to help him leave, and they struggled through the whole journey to get all the way to the United States.
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Reflecting on Scripture through the lens of the migrant: How does this family’s story humanize and illuminate the experience of the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt in Matthew’s Gospel? In other words, what does it make you consider or wonder about what Mary, Joseph, and Jesus’ experienced?
The holy family probably also suffered through poor weather, officials, and other struggles through the flight to Egypt, it makes me wonder why they would decide to leave if they had to struggle so much.
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Reflecting on the experience of migrants through the lens of the Gospel: How might the Gospel story and the claim that Christ is in the refugee be good news to migrants like the father and son from El Salvador? What difference could it make for them to claim that truth?
Joseph had to let go of his life back in Nazareth, and make sure that he could keep his family safe. Just like the refugee, Christ was forced to flee his home in the face of danger. The gospel of luke shows how Christ is in the refugee. In doing so, it brings hope to refugees that claim that Christ is within them and has suffered their same struggles, it helps them feel less alone in their suffering.
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If the “Flight to Egypt” shows that God/Christ is present in the migrant/refugee, what might these stories (the Gospel story and the Salvadoran family’s story) call forth from people who call themselves Christian? What would it look like to “live as though this truth were true” and what are the challenges of living that out? (This could be purely academic reasoning if you are not Christian, or you could make it personal if you are Christian).
The "Flight to Egypt" story in the Gospel can be seen as a metaphor for the plight of migrants and refugees, and suggests that God is present in and cares for these individuals. This story can call forth a sense of empathy and compassion from Christians, and inspire them to take action to support and advocate for migrants and refugees. Living out this truth would involve treating migrants and refugees with dignity and respect, and actively working to address the systemic issues that lead to forced migration. This could include supporting organizations that provide aid and assistance to migrants and refugees, advocating for policies that protect their rights, and actively challenging discrimination and prejudice against them. Challenges of living this out include the complexity of the issues surrounding migration and the tendency for societies to demonize and stigmatize migrants and refugees. Additionally, it can be difficult to reconcile the actions of one's own government with the call to care for migrants and refugees.
Created: June 5, 2023