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ed “anointed” one decrees one of the most tragic indictments in human his-
tory, the massacre of children. Don’t read the story as fairy tale, read it as
history. Soldiers slaughtering children. Mothers screaming, protecting, beg-
ging…fathers attempting to shield their families from this unthinkable trage-
dy. How many parents died as a result? But there was death, only death.
Some families, including the Holy Family, were “fortunate” to escape. Trans-
gressing the border to Egypt. A place where Hebrews were once enslaved, a
place of uneasy sanctuary. Unwanted, hunted, and vulnerable. Away from
their homeland, across the border, only seeking to survive. Living in the
shadows. “Illegals” in the land of Egypt all because of a man named Herod
who wanted to protect and consolidate his power. At this time of abun-
dance, celebration, and blessing let us consider the vulnerable across the
world in our midst. The refugee, the escapee, the migrant
and the fearful. Read their life scripture from their per-
spective. Contemplate it, put flesh and blood upon their
stories. Shift your optic. Read the world through their
eyes. For it was on their account that Emmanuel came in-
to the world in the back alleys of Bethlehem, in a shack,
incarnated in a barn amongst the animals. A Holy Family
soon called to a terrified, vulnerable flight for survival.
Prayer
Emmanuel, vulnerable child, hunted border crosser hear
our prayers. Bless those in our midst who are living your
life path to the point of death. Comfort them in this life
and receive them at death. Let us see them in the same
light as the executed children of Bethlehem, Holy Inno-
cents. Amen.
_____
David A. Sanchez
HFC Pastoral Council
Professor of Early Christianity, LMU