what Jesus did

Christmas edition of the local paper, West Germany. Four pages of articles welcoming the first couple of hundred asylum seekers into the area. Photos of Syrian and Pakistani families lugging their suitcases off the bus and of all the local dignitaries who turned out to smilingly shake their hands and welcome them; photos of the Christmas feast that was put on to welcome the new arrivals: a little Afghan boy says gleefully, “We are famous!” Editorial reminding everybody of the story of pregnant Mary and her husband Joseph searching for a shelter in which their baby, Jesus, could be born, and how this is no different to our communal obligation to offer shelter and a welcome to people currently seeking asylum. I’d like to send a copy to Canberra.