Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”
Matthew 2:13-15
This is International Migrants Day, a recognition that today and everyday human beings chose or are compelled to seek out new opportunities for healthy, safe, fulfilled lives. I've been pondering this all week. Both of our mothers were immigrants to Canada from Great Britain. My mother came nearly a century ago to Quebec city as a three-year-old in a family. As a senior citizen she visited the Pier 21 immigration museum and was emotional when she found a fascimile of the ledger in which her name was recorded.
Ruth's mother was a Second World War bride who arrived in Halifax harbour to a Salvation Army band playing O Canada and Here Comes the Bride. Their emigration was part of a colonial, largely European narrative which stretched back over several centuries.We celebrated the pluck and determination of our forebears, and rightly so. We simply didn't consider the imperialistic and destructive nature of settler culture for Indigenous peoples.
Pier 21 Immigrants
Increasingly during the past 40 or 50 years immigrants to Canada have arrived from many other nations around the globe, bringing different cultural experiences as they contribute to the fabric of our nation. I thank God that British cuisine, if it could be called that, was supplanted by culinary gifts from hither and yon. And I've been impressed by the way our children, all adults, developed lasting friendships with those from different ethnicities and religious backgrounds.
Today we are faced with what is a global crisis of migration and the amplification of causes to be on the move. The climate emergency has become a huge factor. Religious extremism and totalitarian regimes have forced millions to flee into precarious circumstances. They are displaced and dying, with news every day it seems of those who have drowned at sea or perished in the back of trucks or been incarcerated in inhumane conditions.
Canada has extended hospitality to some, and the 2015 partnership with concerned citizens, including many in communities of faith, resulted in more than 30,000 Syrians arriving across the country. Yet we still favour those who come with economic resources. The Ontario government just announced a program for immigrant entrepeneurs who will invest at least $200,000. Our colleges and universities depend on the high tuitions of those who come here for an education with the hope of staying. This sounds like buying their way into the country. Meanwhile the premier claims that he's all for immigrants as long as they "work their tails off" and don't "go on the dole." When we sponsored Syrian refugees they were eager to be employed, as virtually all newcomers are.
As Christmas approaches we can be reminded once again that the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph, and infant Jesus fled the threat posed by Herod. We can ask how we might continue to practice the spiritual gift of hospitality in meaningful ways to those who are migrants. We can let our governments know that we expect them to welcome those who can contribute to Canada in a variety of ways.
Today I will pray for all migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, but particularly the Afghan family which was failed by our federal government, given visas to come here with no way out of the danger their homeland posed. Their ten-year-old daughter, excited about moving to Canada, was shot and killed at a Taliban checkpoint. For the love of God, we can do better.
Nazifa, 10, was preparing to start a new life in Canada with her family when the Taliban opened fire on their vehicle in Kandahar on Dec. 10. (Submitted by Kynan Walper)
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