Friday, December 30, the Church celebrated the Feast of the
Holy Family. Usually, it’s celebrated on a Sunday, but when Christmas falls on
a Sunday, it gets bumped.
The Gospel for the day is about Joseph, who dreamt of angels
and acted on what he heard. An angel told him in a dream that Herod was trying
to kill Jesus, and that he should get up and flee. He got up, took his small
family, and fled to Egypt. Later, in Egypt, he dreamt that an angel said it was
safe to return, so he did, although Bethlehem was still dangerous and so he
settled in Nazareth.
Joseph showed up in Egypt – a foreigner, unemployed, with a
wife and a child. We know nothing about what he did there, other than that he
and his family survived.
Centuries before, there was another Joseph who left Israel
and went to Egypt, and by that change was able to protect his family. The older
Joseph was also a dreamer, and able to interpret dreams. The older Joseph brought
his whole family to safety that lasted many years; but then as generations
passed, their time of exile devolved into a time of slavery. For the
descendants of Israel, Egypt became a byword for slavery. Moses led the people
from Egypt/slavery back to Israel/freedom.
When Joseph the younger took Mary and Jesus to Egypt – in the
second great flight – Egypt protected the exiles from Israel – again, and this
time successfully for the whole time of need. One of the first miracles of the
life of Jesus was the healing of Egypt: after a thousand years of cosmic shame,
Egypt was transformed from the land of slavery back to its original status as
the land of refuge.
Recalling these times in Egypt, the Catholic Church today is
solidly pro-immigrant, protective of refugees. The history of the Church’s firm
position on immigration has deep roots, going back three thousand years; but
the teaching in our time goes back more specifically to the firm and clear
words of Pope Pius XII. Pius XII was a man of incredible courage and
clear-headed justice, who protected Jews during World War II (although he was
maligned starting with a work of fiction in 1963). The New York Times said about him, on
Christmas 1942: "The voice of Pius XII is a lonely voice in the silence
and darkness enveloping Europe this Christmas. He is about the only ruler left
on the Continent of Europe who dares to raise his voice at all.” And Pius
continued his work after the war, protecting refugees and migrants. His
apostolic constitution in 1952, “Exsul Familia Nazarethana,” is the
foundational document of modern Catholic thought on immigration.
The letter begins: “The émigré Holy Family of Nazareth,
fleeing into Egypt, is the archetype of every refugee family. Jesus, Mary and
Joseph, living in exile in Egypt to escape the fury of an evil king, are, for
all times and all places, the models and protectors of every migrant, alien and
refugee of whatever kind who, whether compelled by fear of persecution or by
want, is forced to leave his native land, his beloved parents and relatives,
his close friends, and to seek a foreign soil.”
“The émigré Holy Family of Nazareth … the archetype of every
refugee family … for all times and all places … every migrant, alien and
refugee … of whatever kind … compelled by fear of persecution or by want.” EVERY,
ALL, ALL, EVERY: there aren’t a whole lot of exceptions, nuances, wobbles and
exclusions in that language.
That’s my Church. I stand with Pope Pius XII and Pope
Francis – and with Holy Family – and with all those whom they seek to protect.
ALL, so help me God.