An Act of Radical Hope

Advent IV– Fourth Sunday of Advent

During my meditation for the Second Sunday of Advent, I commented on the current condition of millions of people who have been forced to leave their homelands to seek safety in other countries.

Part of the original story of Christmas, the infant, Jesus, becomes a refugee:

“When they (the wise men) had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”” (Matthew 2:13-15).

A few years ago I wrote a number of pieces on why Christmas is dangerous. Christmas is dangerous because the story challenges our commonly held prejudices. One of the prejudices currently circulating is refugees are dangerous people. “You know we can’t let those people into our country because they can’t be trusted.” Many of the people to perpetuate this prejudice will go to church this morning to worship Jesus the Refugee. If you worship Jesus the Refugee, how can you not open your hearts to your fellow humans who are refugees?

My friend, Bill, says that celebrating Advent is a counter-cultural act. I would say it is also treasonous. Followers of Jesus proclaim by their worship of the Babe they do not bow to a human leader or a national flag.

In five days, Christians will celebrate the Nativity of our Lord,  a refugee.

Think about it.

Ronald Friesen ©2015