“… take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt…”.
One can only imagine the dislocation and frantic haste that such a message would have caused… leaving the familiar, procuring provisions for a journey into the unknown, trusting complete strangers for advice and assistance, not to mention the rigours of the journey with a babe and a young nursing mother.
I find this image of the flight into Egypt very evocative. Mary and the baby Jesus sleep protectively in their holy glow between the paws of a Sphinx while Joseph sleeps fitfully in the dull warmth of a joyless fire as the donkey grazes in the parched landscape. There is no real rest here. This is no place to build a family life. Alone in a barren landscape. Strangers in a strange land. Unlike Joseph of the rainbow coat, this Joseph will have no dreams to help him rise in power amidst the pharaoh’s court. The voice in his dreams will remain silent for some time. There is a sense in the image that life will be difficult… they are alone, friendless and vulnerable.
Even the angel refers to Jesus and Mary as ‘the child and his mother’ perhaps alluding that in exile the family will not fully establish its identify as Jesus Mary and Joseph … the family unit.
But, there is a small detail in the painting that we may miss in the darkness of the night. See how the Sphinx acknowledges with an upward gaze that the work of protecting the fleeing Messiah is directed by the Almighty, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. He who places and numbers the stars in the sky, places the Holy Family out of the reach of Herod.
However, the little group will struggle here unable to fully flourish as a family until they can return to their native land and settle in a safe environment, make a permanent home, have long term genuine friends and neighbours, nourished by the rituals and religious practices of the Hebrew community.
And it is in Paul’s letter to the Colosssians that we get a sense of the harmony of this family life characterised by kindness, humility, compassion and patience. He urges us to bear with one another and exercise forgiveness and understanding, wrapping ourselves and those around us in a loving embrace. With peace ruling our hearts we will burst forth in songs of praise and gratitude to the God who lures us through the darkest night and leads us into wholeness.
