Among the wealth of historical and geographical details surrounding Jesus’ birth in Luke’s Gospel there is a passing mention of Syria (Luke 2:2) which had never caught my attention until I met Faraj, a 22-year-old Syrian. He fled Aleppo under falling bombs, was separated from his family and held prisoner in refugee camps in Hungary and Turkey, where, he told me, he was treated as an animal. In the end he was welcomed by a Jewish family in the UK. Faraj is a faithful Muslim. He fasts during Ramadan, goes to the mosque on Fridays and to the synagogue with his foster parents on Saturdays.
20 December 2017, The Tablet
The coming of Jesus
Advent meditation
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