JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH FLIGHT INTO EYGPT
JESUS WAS A MIGRANT
Immigration is a hot button issue in our country today. Today,there are some people who seem to be against all immigration. But the truth is almost all of us except Native Americans are the descendants of immigrants!
Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was born homeless. (Mt.8:20) He who created the world became a homeless person depending on the kindness of strangers. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were themselves refugees fleeing into Egypt to avoid Herod’s newly born children.
“The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Mt 8:20). Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, was born in a borrowed manger; had no fixed address once he began his public ministry; and was buried in another man’s tomb.
Where are we on welcoming the refugee? And how about our treatment of the homeless despite the reasons for their homelessness. God loves the homeless! .
The Catholic Church in the United States is an immigrant Church with a long history of embracing newcomers regardless of origin, race or religion. Our Church has responded to Christ’s call for us to “welcome the stranger among us,” for in this encounter with the immigrant and the refugee in our midst, we encounter Christ.
CORPORAL WORK OF MERCY
The Corporal Works of Mercy are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise.
CCC 2447 The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor…The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead.
I asked my oldest daughter who has some experience of working with the homeless hwhat supplies shelters needed, she replied, “new socks, gently used blankets, comforters, coats, hats, gloves will always be in high repeat demand— once these items become wet and soiled— our homeless have no way to dry them.. clean, dry supplies always needed.”
REFLECTION
For many of us, the line between our homes and being homeless is a thin one that can disappear with the death of a spouse, the loss of a job or an illness. This corporal work of mercy forces us to open our eyes to the misery of those who, for a variety of reasons, have no place they can call home.
Welcome the immigrant in your neighborhood; speak kindly to that homeless man or woman who you pass and offering a sandwich or buying them a meal. “Whatever you do to the least of these brethren , you do to me!”
Homelessness is invasive and may be found at our doorstep. Let us not ignore it and walk over like the rich man, Dives, in the parable who ignored Lazarus the begger. We often show more empathy for stray dogs or cats than human beings. Pro-Life is more than anti-abortion! Let’s give the same fervor to those already born!
LUKE 16
Jesus comes to us in disguises. Remember his last judgment discourse in Matthew 23, “Whatever you do to one of these least of my brethren, you do to me.”
POSTSCRIPT
MOTHER TERESA
DO IT ANYWAY!
People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
At the hour of death when we come face-to-face with God, we are going to be judged on love; not how much we have done, but how much love we put into the doing.