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Vicar's letter from the January 2008 Magazine
The survey found that three-quarters of people asked knew that the Gospels say that Jesus was born in Bethleham. A similar proportion knew that the Archangel Gabriel is said to have announced to Mary about Jesus forthcoming birth. Three-quarters is a fairly high proportion but you'd expect that, after all those are two of the key features of the standard Nativity Play. Added to that is that both those pieces of information are contained in more than a handful of carols.
The proportion of correct answers took a bit of a dip when people were asked, "Who was Jesus' cousin?" Only half managed to answer that one correctly - the correct answer being John the Baptist. Actually strictly speaking it was their mothers who were cousins but you get the drift. I'm sure a much higher proportion had heard of John the Baptist, it's just the relationship they were a little rusty on.
There was another question too. When asked "Where did Mary and Joseph take Jesus to escape from Herod?" over half thought the answer was Nazareth, their proper home which they did eventually return to, and another quarter gave a range of incorrect answers. So just a quarter were able to answer correctly - Egypt.
The "Flight to Egypt" is beyond doubt one of the least well known elements of the Nativity Story. The reason for the journey doesn't fit neatly with the snug images of stables and cribs, donkeys, shepherds and kings that are the bread and butter images of school performances. The massacre of all the young boys under the age of two in the vicinity of Bethlehem isn't an image we want to dwell on as we listen to Silent Night amidst the twinkling lights of Christmas decorations. Neither is the reality that Jesus was a refugee.
Throughout the world today people are on the move. There are newcomers in our midst right here in West Bromwich. Some of those people have left their homeland because they wanted too. Many are fellow members like us of the European Union. We all have freedom of movement to ply our trades wherever we want within the common European home that Britain is a part of. For others though the move from their homeland has been more like that that of Jesus. They have fled in fear of persecution or, like the Holy Family, even the threat of death.
We don't know what happened to Mary, Joseph and Jesus while they were in Egypt. All we're told, in Matthew's Gospel, is that they stayed there until Herod died. Clearly they were made welcome in Egypt. They were clearly able to receive hospitality and safety, shelter and security.
One of the things that puts the "Great" in Britain is the fact that throughout the centuries through to the present day these islands have been a place of welcome, hospitality and safety for people from many different places. Like Mary, Joseph and Jesus they have travelled with worries and trepidation. Usually they have found a welcome and a new home or at least a place to stay for as long as they needed. It's sad to say there are some voices that would want to change this country into a place that is unwelcoming and hostile to those from other lands. In doing so they would strip this country of what has made it a byword for justice and fairness.
As Jesus was welcomed into the community of Egypt let us pledge ourselves to welcome others into our midst for in doing so many have entertained angels unawares.
Mike Claridge
The details of the Christmas Story were the subject of a recent questionnaire carried out by a public theology think tank (whatever that is) called "Theos".
