AdventWord 2018 Day 14 – Prepare
Matthew teaches us that the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary’s husband Joseph and said these words, “Get up, 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.”
After Herod died, an angel again spoke to Joseph,
“Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.”
When their child is threatened, a parent does anything to keep them safe. That’s why we learned about parents throughout history who sacrificed themselves when it meant their child could live.
When several thousand people walked through Central America and Mexico, they did so to petition for asylum and live in the United States. Their preparations consisted of taking what they could carry on a weeks-long march that would cover more than one thousand miles for some of them.
The United States also prepared to meet these weary travelers by sending its army to fortify the fences and stand ready to arrest any who sought to petition for entrance.
My opinion on the matter was formed when I learned the words of Matthew as a young man. They were buttressed by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, who wrote about their journey two months ago:
“What is the Christian way to manage borders? Strength does not require cruelty. Indeed, cruelty is a response rooted in weakness. Jesus was clear about what true strength is and it always is driven by love. There may be many policy prescriptions, but the prism through which we view them should be the same: does the policy treat people with love, acknowledging our common humanity? If the answer is no, it is not a Christian solution.”
Lord, let us live as you teach and how your human parents lived with you.
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