Deacon Walter Ayres, director of the Commission on Peace and Justice, reflected on the Gospel and immigration reform in his homily for July 13, the 15th Sunday of Ordinary time:
Today’s
Gospel is so familiar to most of us, that the church doesn’t even require that
we read it in its entirety. Instead, we have the option of reading a shortened
version, as I did today.
As
Jesus explains in the full version of the Gospel, the seed that falls along the
path is the person who hears the message without understanding it.
The
seed that fell on patches of rock is the person who first receives the message
with joy, but falters when times get rough.
The
seed sown among the thorns is the person who hears the message, but who is
choked off by worldly anxiety and the lure of money.
Finally,
the seed on good soil is the person who hears the word and takes it in,
resulting in a miraculous yield.
I
assume that most Christians think of themselves as belonging to that last
category, but many of them are wrong.
We
need to read the signs of the times to understand this better.
Now,
the phrase “the signs of the times” has been of particular importance to
Catholics since Vatican II, because it signifies an understanding that the
Church needs to attend more closely to the world if it is to remain faithful to
its calling. It has been used by every Pope since Pope John XXIII.
And
when we read today’s Gospel in light of the signs of the times, we can see that
it gives us a lens through which we can comprehend the issues of our time, such
as the current immigration crisis.
You
see, this reading comes at a particularly opportune time.
Just
this week, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops held a national
migration conference in Washington.
The
goals were to share and apply Catholic Social Teaching on migration; and to
deepen the capacity of diocesan and parish leaders to minister to, and advocate
for, immigrants, refugees, and other people on the move.
This
occurred around the time people were blocking buses with immigrant children and
families from places where they could be housed and fed.
And
the hatred spewing from the mouths of some protestors was a disgrace to us as a
nation and a people.
The
influx of unaccompanied children is an important issue that we must face, but
we must do it with the love and understanding that our faith requires of us.
Now,
the plight of immigrants is imbedded in our sacred scripture. From the plight
of the Hebrew people in Egypt to the flight of Jesus and his family to escape
from Herod, immigrants are presented to us as people for whom we must show
particular concern.
The
children who cross our borders have crossed some of the worst land we can
imagine, and under the worst conditions.
They
are the seeds that God has scattered on the ground. And we are called to help
them grow.
How
do we know?
The
bible tells us so.
In
the book of Exodus we are told, “Do not oppress the stranger: you know how a
stranger feels, for you lived as strangers in the land of Egypt.”
Psalm
82 tells us, “No more mockery of justice . . . rescue the weak and the needy.”
Isaiah
tells us, “Woe to legislators of infamous laws . . . who refuse justice to the
unfortunate.”
Jeremiah
proclaims, “Do not exploit the stranger . . .”
The
message is carried throughout Leviticus, Proverbs, and other books of the
bible.
So
what are we to do?
First,
we must understand that these children are like the seeds mentioned in today’s
Gospel. They have fallen on the worst ground, and they are being choked off by
worldly anxiety and the lure of money. By lure of money, I mean the fear some
people have that immigrants will take their jobs, a belief which has been
proven false.
Some
people fear that immigrants are a burden on the healthcare system, which has
been shown not to be true.
Others
argue that they are a drain on the economy, and that, too, is not correct.
Our
church, through Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief Services, is working to
help these vulnerable people.
And
because the church sees the world as it is, and not how we would like it to be,
we are working in Central America to provide education and employment
opportunities to young people so that they will not feel that they have to
leave their country in order to find a better life.
These
children have the potential – as do our own children – of producing the
miraculous harvest that Jesus mentions in today’s Gospel, a harvest of a
hundred-fold.
One
of them might discover the medicine that may someday save your life.
Or
they might start a company that employs your grandchild.
They
might return to their own country and become a politician who promotes the good
that is needed at that time.
But
none of that can happen if we don’t take care of them now.
When
we think of today’s Gospel – about the sower and the seeds and the harvest – we
must think not only about these children and the harvest they can provide as
they mature. We must also ask ourselves what kind of harvest we are producing
in our own lives.
Does
the word of God produce in us a willingness to help others in need, a desire to
care for our neighbors as ourselves?
Or
has our love of neighbor been choked off by the weeds of selfishness and fear?
Can
we provide a bountiful harvest of love and compassion, or will we ignore the
face of Jesus in these desperate children?
The
gospel of Matthew tells us that one day Jesus will come to us and we will ask
Him, “when…. when did I see you?” When did I see you a stranger? When did I see
you hungry? When did I see you needing clothes?
Today,
as you hear my words, a little girl is on her way across a desert land. A
little boy is walking the same path. There is a good chance that both of them
are Catholic.
If
they do not die alone on the way, they will arrive here as strangers. They will
be hungry. They probably will need clothes.
Like
the tender shoots of today’s parable, their grip on life will be tenuous at
best.
We
can help them by praying – praying for their safety and for a resolution to the
current crisis.
We
also can send money to Catholic Charities or Catholic Relief Services.
And
we can contact our legislators and ask them to support sensible and fair
immigration reform, and let them know that we do not object to housing some of
these children in our own community as they await the next phase of their
journey.
But
we must not stand idly by and do nothing.
When
the attendees at this week’s Migration Conference received their registration
packet, they found a letter from the office of the Vatican Secretariat of
State, who wrote to them on behalf of Pope Francis. This is part of what he had
to say:
“It
is [the Pope’s] hope that, in the best traditions of the Church in the United
States, the Catholic community will continue to welcome new immigrants, defend
the unity of families, and provide opportunities for their full integration
into society.”
May
the Pope not be disappointed in how we respond to this current immigration
crisis.
Labels: Catholic Relief Services, immigration reform, Pope Francis, USCCB
