The Christmas message is rooted in the church’s theology of advent, that is, the coming of Jesus who was incarnated as a vulnerable baby in the manger. In fact, a key resounding message of the nativity story is vulnerability.
We can see this through the different characters in the story and some of the imagery; a pregnant young woman, a husband scared of scandal, a baby born in the manger, Magi’s from the East who have to risk speaking to Herod in order to ascertain the birth of a new King, shepherds in the fields struggling to make ends meet and a family at risk who have to flee and take refuge in Egypt. All of these characters in their own circumstance, were vulnerable.
This reflects the larger story of the nation of Israel at that time and its vulnerability as they were under colonial occupation by the Romans. It is within these stories and context that the promise of Emmanuel, God with us, was given as a revelation to Joseph (Mathew 1: 20 – 23 NIV).
This message also echoes the vulnerability of Judah in the prophet Isaiah’s day when the Southern kingdom was surrounded by nations that wanted to annihilate them.
During this season of advent, as we, in our churches begin to reflect on the time when Jesus first came to us as a vulnerable child who needed protection from the powers of the state, this message is more crucial than ever for our nation, especially at a time where vulnerability and division are rife.
Right now, different communities are experiencing weakness, whether that is working class communities, refugees, asylum seekers or settled migrants.
Jesus’ incarnation as a child although vulnerable because of threat from an earthly ruler was nevertheless majestic because it revealed that God was not far away from us. Herod himself felt vulnerable as a king after being informed by the Magi from the East therefore decided to get rid of any opposition to his rule. This situation forced Jesus’ parents to migrate to Egypt to protect Him therefore our Lord and Saviour became a refugee in Egypt. This message is very important for ongoing conversations on the contested nature of migration and migrants.
As we celebrate advent this Christmas, the message of God with us, who has come to save us irrespective of our nationality, migrant status, class or ethnicity is crucial. This is the Christmas message that we need to talk about and amplify in our sermons, Christmas carols, Christmas outreach and churches. It is my prayer that we will take time this Christmas to reflect on Emmanuel, God with us, who revealed Himself to us through the vulnerability of a child with a refugee status.
The Light We Long For: a story of humility and hope
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