In this installment of Auspice, I would like to write about the Holy Family’s time in Egypt. Before we go to Egypt with Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, it is important to recount the circumstances that led them to go there. For this, we will turn to St. Matthew’s Gospel and recall the turn of events.
According to the account of St. Matthew describing the birth of Jesus and the events that followed, after the departure of the Magi (Matthew 2:13ff.), the Lord God spoke to Joseph in another dream through the mediation of an angel. The text reads, “When they [the Magi] had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.’” King Herod the Great, slighted by the Magi who were alerted not to return to him to recount their findings of the Christ Child, furious and fearful of this “newborn king,” seeks to eliminate him by slaughtering all boys two years old and younger in the vicinity of Bethlehem. For modern readers, the slaughter of the innocents continues to cause shock and dismay. However, historically, such a heinous act would have fitted the ruthless character of Herod.
In response to the dream, we are told, “Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.” (Matthew 2:14). Once again, according to St. Matthew, Joseph exhibits an unflinching obedience to the word of God communicated to him by means of dreams and angels. Joseph’s trust in the word of the Lord saves the life of the child Jesus. The Holy Family remains in Egypt until another word of the Lord is communicated to Joseph two or three years later.
What was life like for the Holy Family while in Egypt? It is difficult to understand unless you have been in such a situation. While in Egypt, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were immigrants from Israel. Displaced involuntarily from their homeland due to danger and threat, they flee for a foreign land. Joseph has no employment waiting for him. They have no family to receive them. There is no apartment prepared for their arrival. There was no opportunity for them to say goodbye to relatives and friends. They have most likely never traveled to Egypt before in their lives. They leave without preparation and closure. They go because if they don’t, their son will die due to the threat imposed by King Herod.
These circumstances highlight the courage of Joseph and Mary. The journey to Egypt was between 260 to 450 miles. There were no buses, planes, trains, or automobiles. They walked, aided by the faithful help of their donkey. Like most journeys in the Middle East during those times, the journey presented various dangers and threats, such as robbers and injury. The parallels to immigrant peoples today coming to the United States because of the threat of death, violence, kidnapping, and human trafficking from South America, Central America, and Mexico are stirringly similar. Many walk long distances. Joseph and Mary would not have left their homeland for a foreign country if they had a choice. They would have stayed were it not for the real threat against Jesus’ life due to King Herod’s ruthlessness.
While in Egypt, they need to find a place to live. There were some Jewish enclaves in Egypt then, so it is possible that the Holy Family eventually settled amidst other Jewish families. Again, we can only imagine how strange it was for the Holy Family at first, unless it is our experience to be forced to emigrate to another country. The Holy Family's other real challenges were finding work and learning their new cultural setting. Egypt was not Israel; in fact, in the history of the Jewish people, their ancestor's experience of Egypt was one of oppression and misery before Moses’ great liberation.
Joseph must find work. He is a carpenter, a woodworking craftsman, so he reverts to the craft he knows and begins to make items out of wood to sell or barter with for food and other needed provisions. Where did he get the tools for his craft? Was he able to pack them quickly before he left? Mary cares for Jesus during the day and teaches him about their Jewish Faith, history, and culture. Upon his return home at the end of the day, I'm sure that Joseph was a tremendous comfort for Mary and Jesus. Both shared in the religious formation of Jesus. As he grew, they taught him about the one true God of their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They taught him about the great Exodus event, whereby God heard the cry of misery and oppression of their enslaved ancestors while the Israelites lived and worked in Egypt. I am sure that the Exodus story of how Moses, under God’s direction, led the Israelites from slavery to freedom took on new meaning for the Holy Family living in exile in Egypt.
Through it all, Joseph and Mary, due to their natural virtues and supernatural virtues, particularly their faith in the one true God, exhibited incredible perseverance as they protected, provided, and nurtured their son Jesus while seeking asylum in Egypt. Finally, one night, two to three years later, the Lord speaks to Joseph again in a dream: "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead." (Matthew 2:20) According to St. Matthew, the ever attentive, faithful, and courageous Joseph does exactly as commanded. Trusting her husband and his judgment completely, Mary expediently does everything needed to make the journey home. Once home, they settle in Nazareth due to the Lord’s guidance. Their exile is over. Now, they will continue to share the awesome responsibility of caring for and forming Jesus, the Son of the Most High, Emmanuel, the Savior.
The plight of the Holy Family and their forced sojourn to Egypt is a testimony of faith and courage on the part of Mary and Joseph. As we contemplate the events of our Savior’s birth and early years, may our hearts grow in love for the Holy Family. Also, may our empathy for immigrant people forced to flee their homeland due to dire poverty, threat, and mortal danger increase. Merry Christmas!