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JESUS, THE REFUGEE (MATTHEW 2:13-15,19-23)

REFLECTION
“Jesus the refugee” is the theme for our reflection. A refugee is a a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

When the envious and malicious Herod planned to kill Jesus because he felt Jesus was a threat to his kingship, the Angel of the Lord intervened to give direction to Joseph to escape with baby Jesus and Mary to Egypt in Africa. “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, 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.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15) This in indication that if it is not yet our time to exit the world, God will always provide a means of escape according to His divine purpose of our lives. To survive and fulfil His divine mission on earth, Jesus had to become refugee.

Dear friend, Jesus was once upon a time a refugee in Africa, precisely Egypt. Jesus became a refugee because He was perceived by Herod as a political threat to His reign as King. Jesus understands the pain and frustrations refugees go through because He has been a refugee before. A refugee is vulnerable because he is a foreigner in the land where he seeks asylum. How would Jesus have us treat refugees like Him in our world today? The answer is Matthew 7:12, when Jesus said “… in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” In Leviticus, the Israelites where mandated to treat foreigners with dignity, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:34a) Again, for those who will treat refugees with love, dignity and respect, Jesus assures us that ““Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” (Matthew 25:34-36) Let eschew hostility toward refugees and as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ be hospitable and kind to them.

Another key lesson from today’s reflection is that sometimes situations in life may lead us to places we do not anticipate to live and work but we must always trust the Lord to provide for us and make His will come to pass in our lives regardless of our geographical location or uncomfortable circumstances. “After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt ²⁰ and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” ²¹ So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, ²³ and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. “(Matthew 2:19-23) The grace of God and His will for our lives is not limited to geographical location, the most important fact is that in our everyday life, we must remain connected to God. Nazareth was a small and insignificant town in Galilee and indeed the whole of Israel, It is for this reason, Nathaniel re-echoed the popular saying or cliche at the time, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46). Dear friend, the migration of Jesus and His parents to Nazareth eventually made the town popular. Nazareth became home to the greatest man who ever walked on the face of the earth. He performed unprecedented miracles and above all gave sinful humanity the opportunity to repent and become the sons and daughters of God. You may begin your life in a small and insignificant way but your relationship with God will lead you to greatness. Don’t let your Nazareth or humble beginning discourage you. Don’t let your family background or where you find yourself currently and the hopeless situation you find yourself in discourage you. You are destined for greatness, keep trusting the Lord and keep working hard and don’t give up! Jesus’ contemporaries in Nazareth and the region of Galilee were shocked when they saw Him doing great things, they usually will exclaim, is that not the carpenter’s son?! God does not look at your insignificant background or small beginnings, so long as you have a covenant relationship with Him through Jesus Christ and you allow Him to do His will in your life, you will become great in your Nazareth. Jesus assures us that “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26). Dear friend, don’t give up, God is with you in your Nazareth (small beginnings) and everyday life just as He was with Jesus and His family. Shalom.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, we pray for love and mercy for all refugees in the world. May we become channels of hope in their lives through the unconditional love of Christ for them.