During the early days of Advent 2018 I was invited to participate in the local organizing of a nationwide gathering of clergy and religious leaders at the San Diego/Mexico boarder. We gathered because we have a moral obligation to uphold our nation’s promise to welcome the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to live in liberation. Moved by what we experienced demanding the demilitarization of our border communities and the development of an immigration system that recognizes the shared humanity of migrants seeking safety and refuge, I wrote the following poem….
Just across the border the vision of the Migrant Babe
is multiplied, multiplied,
its flesh in transit;
its mother on the move;
its father in search of freedom.
Just a few minutes to our south the vision of the Migrant Babe
is multiplied, multiplied,
as a few of the faithful shout:
“send them home…”
“build that wall…”
“smoke them out…”
and as more of the faithful shout:
“love known no borders”
“you are welcome here.”
Just a glance south from this holy hill the vision of the Migrant Babe
is multiplied, multiplied,
And this fact remains true:
We are all the daughters of God.
We are all the sons of God.
We are all children of God.
And this fact remains true:
We are all worthy of dignity.
We are all worthy of safety.
And this fact remains true:
Christ too was a Migrant Babe.
Christ, Mary and Joseph too were Refugees.
Advent comes as it always does, and the question remains from year to year:
How will you welcome the Christ-child, the Migrant Babe in our midst?
