Christ Entering Egypt

Written originally on June 1st, 2020

Today, June 1st of 2020, marks the annual celebration of the Minor Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ's Entry into the lands of Egypt. Usually, under normal circumstances, this day is celebrated with liturgies on the Nile of Egypt and common celebrations for all Egyptians, both Muslim and Christian. Today is a national holiday and a minor feast, which is an important occasion of the church calendar. But sadly, we as a community often forget all the motions it took to get this family to move out of Israel and settle for about 3 years in a hostile land far away from any sense of security. The Holy Family experienced many trials in this fleeing to Egypt that many people unfortunately take as fact.

Let's go back to the beginning of this trip, which started more than 700 years before Christ was even born. Isaiah the prophet wrote in his book, Chapter 7 verse 14 "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." He speaks in this Chapter about the mystical birth of the Messiah of the whole world, not just Israel lest some are confused. Here Isaiah dictates that this newborn is like none other, since He comes to fill the presence of which the whole world needed after the fall of our father Adam and our mother Eve. But the circumstances of His birth are most unnatural, since a Virgin, referring here to the Panagia Theotokos (All Holy Mother of God) St Mary, is the one giving birth to this mystical child. Not only that, but this child is destined also to travel and flee to Egypt specifically. Here we come to a conundrum. Why Egypt? Why not Syria? or other districts of Judea? What about the Jordan? They are certainly much closer than Egypt was to Bethlehem. But the reason for all this exhaustion and tire and pain in fleeing to Egypt was to fulfill the plan that God had for the Egyptians, by blessing them with His presence in their land. Isaiah prophesied about this event saying "Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst" (Isaiah 19:1). The confirmation of the Lord's coming is stated in Isaiah 19:25 when he states "the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed *is* Egypt My people." Such a blessing that Egypt will receive is due to the fact that Egypt has seen, and will see, many tribulations that are unmatched anywhere else in the entire world. The future of Egypt from that moment onward would never be the same.

The Holy Family did not have an easy and relaxing time in Egypt. First, Joseph was awakened in a dream sent by God with an Angel of the Lord ordering Him to take the young child and his mother and flee to Egypt. This dream came shortly before Herod realized that the wise men of the east had fooled him and had not come back to him after inquiring about the mystical child. Outraged, Herod sent orders to kill all the young males ages 2 years and under. This statement, albeit ambiguous at first, gives us a most important clue into the age of Christ at the time of his fleeing (for Herod estimated that the Child should be about 2 years old since the time of the magi's travel and until they left). And so, the small family, accompanied on their journey by Mary's relative, Salome, flee to Egypt by way of the desert, passing through Rafah and into El Arish and Farama. From the get go, the Holy Family experiences troubles and problems on their journey. First, they were chased down by Herod's guards, as they knew after the massacre of the innocents that they did not find Jesus nor His family. Second, they are strangers in a land that was not kind to strangers. Finally, they were poor and on the run and had no way of financing their journey except through any manual labor the Blessed Joseph or St Mary could accomplish. With that, they had to take care of a child, and not just any child, but the Savior of the entire world, God the Word Incarnate!

Picture with me how one would go about this tricky expedition in a time when individual rights were non existent and liberty was only achieved through rank and money. A poor, old carpenter and a young girl no older than 16 or 17 at best. All they could take were 3 small jars of gold, frankincense, myrrh, some clothes, and some few shekels to pay for taxes. They are tasked by the will of God to carry the Incarnate Word and nurture Him until His time of calling was manifested to Israel. Along with that, they had to keep their identity secret in a country where their own way of speaking could distinguish what region they came from and from what city. Not only that, but they needed to learn the bare minimum of another foreign language in order to communicate to the locals. Along the way, the Holy Family was at best shunned and at worst attacked for the sole purpose of existing and walking through the sandy dirt roads of Egypt. Think with me all the hate, racism, and pain they had to live through while escaping. And for what? They did no crime whatsoever! Yet, remember, those who choose to live a life with Christ are seeking to live a hard, and yet peaceful life. The Lord made His name manifest throughout all of Egypt, as idols tottered and people worshiped the True Savior of mankind. He came to display one message, that the only life that matters is the eternal life which HE will give to us FREELY if we choose to follow Him.

Now observe with me this painting, called Anno Domini, in which Christ is seen entering on a donkey led by Joseph and on it the Blessed Virgin Mary. As they enter, a parade of sorts commemorating one of the chief deities of the Ancient Egyptians, seems to be moving in the opposite direction, leaving behind an empty land, and many empty hearts, awaiting the salvation of the human race. Let us open our hearts to Him, asking for mercy on our race.