May We Too Be Angels

A Reflection by the Rev. Canon Dr. Dennis Okholm on “Flight into Egypt” by John August Swanson.  See reflection below the image.

When my wife and I were on a vacation in Denmark to track down my grandfather’s homestead, I reserved the bridal suite (because it was the largest room) in a quaint hotel in Ribbe, a medieval town near the east coast of Denmark. When we entered the room the first thing we saw was an old painting of the “Flight into Egypt.” It seemed strange to us that it would be the painting selected for a room occupied by a couple celebrating their wedding night—a rather ominous beginning to marriage! But as any newlywed couple will find out, the relationship into which they have entered is not one that will always feel like a wedding celebration.

This bears a similarity to the way that we treat Christmas. We sanitize the biblical story, sing festive carols, gorge on delicacies, and send cards depicting serene snow-covered scenes. Yet the story of Jesus’ birth couldn’t be farther from these diversions.

John August Swanson’s vertical-panorama “Flight into Egypt” layers colors and drawings with a massive star-studded sky and complex landscape to remind us that many events were taking place in this story, and not all of them were happy.

Indeed, those many events include Herod who is usually deleted from our rehearsals of the story—a king who would slaughter innocent children in Bethlehem . . . “holy innocents” who are remembered in the church’s calendar on December 28^th. As Nadia Bolz-Weber puts it, the “story of Herod and infanticide reveals a God who has entered our world as it actually exists, and not as the world we often wish it would be.” But, as she goes on to say, “we’ve lost the plot if we use religion as the place where we escape from difficult realities instead of as the place where those difficulties are given meaning.” And it is because the newborn King replaces King Herod in the story that we can sing “Joy to the World.” But, first, the family must flee to Egypt.

And so, during Advent we wait once again for the event that will give us hope. Sin is the reason for the season, and the season is about the Light that came into the world to conquer the darkness.

But Swanson’s “Flight into Egypt” reminds us that the darkness still surrounds us, especially in light of events of these past few weeks and months. As Swanson says about his own painting, “I envision the biblical story of the Holy Family in reference to current events, photos, and stories of people who must leave their homes. Whether fleeing wars or natural disasters, they are all refugees in makeshift towns who have to move to safer places in order to survive. I wanted to capture the urgent plight of a poor family protecting their newborn child from imminent danger, while fleeing to an unknown country. God is protecting this Holy Family, but there are so many other holy families that are left unprotected. I envisioned angels rushing to protect and guide Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. We need to be those angels, and support groups that help refugees, and act with compassion and strength.”

The Rev. Canon Dr. Dennis Okholm is a Professor of Theology at Azusa Pacific University and Teaching Pastor at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Costa Mesa, California. He also serves as one of C4SO’s Canon Theologians. Contact Dennis.