Matthew 2:1-14 First Nations Version
1It was during the days of the bad-hearted Chief Looks Brave (Herod) that the Chosen One was born in the village of House of Bread (Bethlehem) in the Land of Promise (Judea). After his birth, Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) traveling on a long journey from the East came to Village of Peace (Jerusalem).
2They began to ask around, “Where is the one who has been born to be chief of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel)? We saw his star where the sun rises and have come to humble ourselves before him and honor him.”
3When Chief Looks Brave heard this, he and all who lived in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) were troubled. 4He called a council of all the head holy men and scroll keepers and asked them where the Chosen One was to be born.
5“In House of Bread (Bethlehem), the village of the great chief Much Loved One (David),” they answered. “This is what the ancient prophet said: 6‘But you, O House of Bread (Bethlehem), in the Land of Promise (Judea), even though you are small, you have a good reputation with the chiefs who watch over the land. From you will come a Great Chief who will guide my chosen people—the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel).’”
7Then Looks Brave (Herod) called a secret council with the Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) to find out when the star first appeared. 8He then sent them to House of Bread (Bethlehem) and told them, “Look everywhere for the child. Find him and tell me where he is, so that I may also come and honor him.”
9After listening to Looks Brave (Herod), the Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) went their way. 10When they saw the star rising in the East, they jumped with joy, and with glad hearts they followed until the star stopped and rested over the place where the child was. 11They went into the house and saw the child and his mother, Bitter Tears (Mary). As soon as they saw the child, they bowed down to honor him. Then they opened their bundles and gifted him with gold, sweet-smelling incense, and bitter ointment of myrrh.
12The Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) were warned in a dream not to go back to Looks Brave (Herod), so they returned to their homeland by a different road.
13After the Seekers of Wisdom (Magi) had gone, a spirit-messenger from Creator warned He Gives Sons (Joseph) in a dream. “Rise up!” he said urgently. “Take the child and his mother and go quickly to Black Land (Egypt) and remain there until I tell you to leave. Looks Brave (Herod) is searching for the child to kill him!”
14That night He Gives Sons (Joseph) took the child and his mother, and they fled for their lives to Black Land (Egypt).
I was volunteering at the Federal Court Housing, doing Clergy Accompanyment, when a young couple with the most adorable baby came to the door. The baby was small and dressed all in Pink. Pink dress. Pink carseat liner. Pink tights with frilly pink socks to keep her brown little toes warm. A Pink hat with a little pink bow on it. The parents were young and lean, too lean, like they were putting everything they had into that little baby girl.
They spoke only Spanish, so my clergy colleague, Scott, employed his fluent Spanish to tell them what we were there to do and make sure they had legal representation. When Pastor Scott was done talking with them he told me their story.
They were from Venezuela. They were at the court for their asylum hearing. The legal process of seeking asylum is that you must first enter the USA, you cannot apply for asylum while physically in another country. It takes money to get some sort of visa to come here in a documented way – like an education visa or vacation visa. Many people seeking asylum are fleeing for their lives so many of them are undocumented. It is not illegal to seek asylum, even if you are undocumented, despite what ICE says. That’s why we do clergy accompaniment. To be a moral witness and challenge ICE agents to follow the law and let families like this one follow the legal process for seeking asylum.
Anyway, Momma, Daddy and Pink Little Baby were at the court for their asylum hearing.
They are here because, before the Pink Little Baby was born they had 2 other children, a 5 year old boy and a 2 year old girl.
One day, the drug cartel came to their house, to recruit the Father to work for them. The Father said no. The cartel members dragged the little family outside their home and shot their 5 year old and 2 year old right in front of them.
Matthew 2:18 reads,
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
What do you do in times like these?
When bad-hearted leaders choose violence?
What can we do in times like these?
I think it depends on who you are.
And what your priorities are.
Mary and Joseph’s priority was their baby. And like that young family from Venezuela, Mary and Joseph had no power or privilege with which to protect themselves.
When you are vulnerable or protecting vulnerable people sometimes the best thing to do is to seek safety. To stay home or run to seek asylum.
The seekers of wisdom had privilege, but they also had the wisdom to know that it was not their business to interfere in the government of another country, no matter how bad that government is. I mean, the Wise Guys *could have* organized a military operation to try to arrest Herod for being a bad-hearted King, but capturing another country’s head of state is an act of war. They were wise enough to walk away from the whole situation and not assist Herod in his madness.
And the people? The everyday people like you and I?
There were Jewish rebels – the sicarri, named for their long curved knives. They ambushed trade caravans and travelers trying to disrupt the flow of taxes to Rome. But violence justifies violence which leads to more violence, which eventually led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 69 AD.
There were some folks, some Pharisees who staged peaceful protests and publicly spoke out against Herod.
And there were people with privilege, like the Apostle Paul who used his Roman citizenship to try to argue for religious freedom under the Roman law… and Paul was executed by Rome.
The reality is that in times like these, even people with privilege, doing legal things, like Renee Good, who was acting as a Legal Observer – a Constitutionally defined role – just like the people I serve alongside every month.
….even when we’re doing the legal thing, in times like these, our white privilege, our citizenship, our middle class-ness may not protect us from the Herod’s of this world.
My neighbor’s teen wants to visit the ICE building with me and I had to tell her mother, in all good conscience, that I am willing to accompany them to ICE, but I cannot guarantee my own safety or there’s
And if you’re Herod?
Just don’t.
Just don’t be Herod.
And please. Don’t stand with Herod.
It’s never too late to change your mind.
To say, this isn’t what I thought I was voting for.
But the reality is…There’s always another Herod, because the system of Empire is designed to produce Herods.
The system of Empire is a system of Greed and Might Makes Right.
It’s a system that has always been…
…since Cain killed his brother Able, thinking that his might would make him more right with God.
…since the people of Sodom and Gomorrah chose violence towards strangers instead of hospitality towards strangers.
…since Abraham grew up in a culture that made him think that God demands child sacrifice.
BUT God has shown us another way.
Abraham wasn’t ready to believe that his God didn’t need a sacrifice, so God substituted a ram instead of Issac. And the sacrifices of the rich and privileged people trying to get something from God became free food for the poor. Just as the monetary gifts we give to the church now, become food for Haven Dinner and will become Housing for the unhoused.
And Jesus showed us what the Prophets, like Amos and Micah had already told us – that God doesn’t want sacrifice, or violence of any kind! God wants justice and mercy and Good News for the Poor and the Oppressed.
But of course, The Systems of Greed and Might Makes Right will tell us that good news for the poor is too expensive…
…and yet there always seems to be enough money for bombs and bullets.
The Systems of Greed and Might Makes Right will tell us that only the “worthy” have earned the basics of life, like shelter, food, clean water and air, healthcare and a future for their children.
And yet… God calls us to Dream of a Better World.
