Jesus was also an undocumented immigrant in a foreign land.

Reading: When they 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.” Matthew 2:13.
 
Good morning, happy Tuesday, and many blessings my dear family.
 
The Gospel reading (Matthew 2:13-18) begins with Joseph taking Mary and the child into Egypt after a warning from an angel. They are told to stay there until they get further instructions. In fact, they stayed there until the death of Herod, when it was safe for them to return to their home in Nazareth. Joseph was open to the message of God and followed this change of plan.
 
This is a painful gospel. What difficult news the angel brings: Joseph and his tiny family must become refugees and go by night to a foreign land. We ask for his strength of soul today to do what we can to help the world’s refugees. They remind me of our undocumented sisters and brothers crossing borders or living without papers in this country. We can definitely say that Jesus was also an undocumented person in a foreign land.
 
Herod realized that the Magi were not going to come back to him. He now felt the threat to his throne more than ever and responded with extreme violence. How do I react when I feel threatened or when things don’t go my way? Am I open to God’s message and to changing my plans or do I hold on to my own agenda, whatever the cost?
 
When Herod asks the magi the chronological question “When?” to determine the time of Jesus’ birth, he acts hypocritically, claiming that he too wants to worship, but with murder in his heart.

There are times when we must disobey unjust laws, which is the same as saying that we are in civil obedience against that government. Of course, there will be consequences, but we are living the Gospel of Jesus.

The killing of innocent children is seen as fulfilling a prophecy. Later Jesus will invite us to model our discipleship on the humility and trust of little children. As a child Jesus was already a sign of contradiction – some accepted him, but others rejected him. The wise men came from afar to pay homage and referred to him as King of the Jews. As a king, he was a threat to Herod who saw his kingdom as being under threat. The prophetic dimension of Jesus’ life was there from the beginning. His kingdom would be of a different kind.

For Herod, Jesus was an inconvenience and a threat. I pray for the faith to recognize Jesus for who he is and that his kingdom of justice, love and peace may come.
 
Blessings,
 
Luis+