By Rev. Paul Graves
Across the country, a good many Nativity scenes outside churches of many denominations have caused important political controversy. At a Catholic Church in Dedham, MA, all the supporting characters surround the manger, but Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus are gone. In their place is a boldly printed sign, “ICE WAS HERE.”
Variations of politically-charged nativity scenes abound. Many people cheer this. Homeland Security officials are pushing back with a predictably self-justifying narrative.
Also predictably, people seem dumbfounded that “politics” is present in the Christmas story. Please don’t be surprised. Read the Gospels more closely. You might want to believe Jesus had nothing to do with politics. But it’s simply not true!
Even in utero, Jesus was political. When pregnant, Mary visited her cousin, Elizabeth (pregnant with John the Baptist). Luke 1:46-55 shares what we know as the Magnificat, Mary’s “my soul magnifies the Lord”. But it is much more than simple praise.
It is also prophetic. It boldly speaks of God’s vision as Mary declared the kind of social justice ministry she expects her son to embody.
So Jesus’ ministry really began in the womb, and was even lived out in a unique way before he was two. Matt. 2:13-19 tells how Jesus and his parents became refugees to Egypt as they escaped from the fury of Herod the Great. Herod looked frantically for this new King but couldn’t find him. So he cruelly began to have all boys under 2 years of age killed.
We have no record of what life was like for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus as refugees in Egypt. But life for all people in Egypt must have been incredibly hard.
At least the Holy Family was safe from the horrors of Herod. They sought some kind of “refugia,” a wonderful word that reflects “safe shelter.”
I particularly appreciate the way that “The Message” translated the last part of verse 13: “Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.”
“On the hunt” is chillingly close to what we’ve watched happen in so many cities today, when ICE agents look to fill their monthly quotas of capturing and deporting people. Cruel and chilling!
It matters little, if at all, that so many of these persons aren’t the “worst of the worst”. Even U.S. citizens in good standing are targeted. A form of Herod-fury has taken hold of our federal government.
I strongly suspect a most toxic form of Christian Nationalism gives many ICE agents a distorted sense of permission to pretend “their god” approves of their horrid tactics. Fortunately, I see and read about so many people standing up to those ICE agents and the disrespectful, destructive Trumpian administration practices.
I’m inspired by their courage!
On Dec. 12, a reported 1,600 students from Hillsboro (OR) high schools and middle schools marched in protest of those policies and actions. I’ve no sense which of those students were motivated by some faith tradition. But I’m confident they were motivated by a mix of fear for targeted friends and families, plus a deep respect for the human dignity all people deserve and embody. I’m eager to hear some of their stories.
Perhaps they were even partially moved by Mary’s Magnificat vision: God scatters the proud in their conceit, casts the mighty from their thrones, lifts up the humblest of persons, fills the hungry with good things, and sends the rich away without their riches. I saw these young people symbolically marching to Egypt as refugees. They sought refugia, safe shelter—if not for themselves, then for others who honestly need it. Refugees need companions on their journey, too.
The Rev. Paul Graves is a retired elder member of the Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church.
