The point of Christ’s birth is that it both involves and transcends our human existence, thus redeeming it. In the midst of broken immigration systems and riots in the streets, let us turn our eyes to eternity and call on His mighty name that will never be overcome: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And, while we wait for His return, let us resist all efforts of cheap political activism that seek to cheapen His display of love for us.

Last week, a Catholic church in Massachusetts made headlines with its Nativity display—in which Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus were replaced by an empty manger and an anti-ICE poster. Now, it seems the church’s pastor is refusing to take down the display for the time being, against the wishes of his church authority.

St. Susanna, located in the Boston suburb of Dedham, “displayed a Nativity scene outside the church with an empty manger and a sign that says, ‘ICE was here,’” Fox News reported Wednesday. The implication, of course, is that the baby Savior was either apprehended or threatened by federal immigration agents.

“The Holy Family is safe in The Sanctuary of our church,” the sign below the “ICE was here” poster reads, followed by contact information for a group that monitors immigration operations in the state.

Father Stephen Josoma, the pastor at St. Susanna, reportedly told Fox that “the church’s peace and justice group” puts together a display each year. They “try to see what [it would] be like if Christ was born into the context of the world today” and ask, “what would he be facing?” he said.

The display’s ultimate message is clear: In a modern-day context, Jesus, his mother Mary, and (earthly) father Joseph would be considered migrants—a family of refugees crossing borders only to face being nabbed by law enforcement officers amid Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown. If that rubs you the wrong way, you’re the problem, at least according to Josoma, who told Fox that if the display of “religious art” “evokes a strong reaction, it’s maybe good to take a look at that.”

On Friday, the Archdiocese of Boston condemned the display, which was reportedly put up without its permission. According to Fox, the Archdiocese’s secretary for communications and public affairs issued a statement calling for “the display [to] be removed, and the manger restored to its proper sacred purpose.” ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons has also spoken out against the politicized nativity. On Monday, Josoma defended the display and indicated it would stay in place while “waiting for an opportunity of dialogue and clarity with [Arch]bishop [Richard] Henning before reaching any final decisions,” according to a press conference video posted by MassLive. He did signal the display would come down “if the circus continues and then there’s threats … anything like that.”

‘It Does Not Make Historical Sense’

This is hardly the first time professing Christians have exploited the biblical narrative to essentially justify allowing millions of illegal aliens into the U.S. And, following a year of horrific leftist political violence, including against ICE agents, speaking out against this manipulative endeavor has never been more important.

At the very least, anyone who has actually read the biblical account of Christ’s birth (hopefully that includes Father Josoma?) knows how seriously historically flawed it is to cast Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as modern-day migrants.

Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem in accordance with the law to be counted as members of the “Roman world,” not to evade it or escape (Luke 2:1-15). Jesus was born in a stable, not because the Holy Family was homeless or displaced, but because “there was no guest room available for them” during their census trip to the City of David.

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