“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)
Like
a lot of folks in America, I spent a good part of last weekend trying to dig
out from the massive snowstorm which covered half of this continent. Having
been trapped indoors and suffering a bad case of cabin fever, I braved the fifteen-degree
weather and attempted to liberate my car from nine inches of snow which fell on
South Jersey. I got the driveway cleared and would’ve started on the sidewalk
had it not been for the timely arrival of seven brawny and hearty gentlemen
whose primary language was other than English. These fellows, equipped as they
were with snow shovels, were part of the landscape crew hired by my homeowners’
association for the purpose of shoveling snow from the homes of the residents
in our 55 and over community. I thanked them with a hearty, “Muchas gracias!”
and received a friendly “De nada!” in response.
I
appreciate the work this crew does for my community, given that, had they not arrived,
my 66-year-old body would’ve had to do more shoveling and would be sorer than
it already is. Of course, at age 66 I think I still could’ve handled the job,
but I’m not so sure the 83-year-old lady who lives next door would be up for
it.
The
immigrant community touches life here in America in so many ways. I honor these
foreign-born gentlemen who shovel my snow in the winter and cut my lawn in the
spring and summer. They are hard workers. I also have tremendous appreciation
for the community of Haitian immigrants who comprise the Seventh Day Adventist
congregation which shares Faith Lutheran’s worship space. They are lovely,
friendly people, and without their generous donation my congregation would not
be able to pay our utility bills.
I
am, however, deeply concerned about the U.S. government’s current policy on
immigration. What is happening in our country at this moment is wrong. We are
witnessing the violation of due process guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. We
have seen lawful residents and even U.S. citizens punished unfairly and
illegally. In many cases the lawful naturalization procedures have been abused.
Jobsites, schools, and communities have been disrupted, and now two citizen
protestors have been wantonly and needlessly killed by federal officers.
I
wrestle with the message of today’s gospel lesson.[i] “Blessed are those who
mourn” may ring a very discordant note in the ears of the families of Renee
Good and Alex Pretti. I doubt those family members feel very blessed when they
hear all kinds of evil uttered falsely by our government officials about those
they love.
I
know, too, that many of us come to church to escape the noise and trauma of the
world, and have no wish to hear unpleasant or controversial events recounted
from the pulpit. But our government’s behavior violates the teaching of our
Church[ii] and the teaching of
Scripture. My ordination vows say I am to speak to the world of God’s love. I’m
quite sure God’s love does not include demonizing immigrants. Rather, it
recognizes most people came to this land because they couldn’t stay where they
were. God’s love means we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, offer welcome
to the stranger, and pray for the wellbeing of all. Indiscriminately rounding
up the foreign-born with the purpose of expelling them flies in the face of
Christ’s words, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.[iii]” This welcome must be
part of the baptismal call of all Christians. Our own baptismal liturgy tells
us we are to inspire our children so they will “proclaim Christ through word
and deed, care for others and the world God made, and work for justice and
peace.”[iv]
Our
gospel lesson challenges us. We are challenged in the midst of things we never
wanted to see, which cause feelings of outrage or despair, to see God by
remaining pure in heart. This means we acknowledge the truth, but do not give
way to either bitterness or exhausted indifference. And we are challenged to
believe what the scripture tells us. The grieving will be comforted. The
lowly and meek will inherit a place of welcome and freedom in the land,
and the hungry will be satisfied. As Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us,
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.[v]” We will not grow weary,
for we hold fast to the promises of Christ.
God
bless you, my friend. Keep praying. Pray for Minneapolis, for our immigrant
communities, and for our leaders that they may have the moral courage to do
what is right and acceptable in the eyes of God.
[i]
Matthew 5: 1-12.
[ii]
You can read the ELCA’s statement on Immigration by clicking here: ImmigrationSM.pdf
[iii]
Matthew 25: 35.
[iv] Evangelical
Lutheran Worship (Augsburg Fortress Publishers 2006) page 228.
[v]
Dr. King was paraphrasing a quote from the Unitarian minister the Rev. Theodore
Parker, an abolitionist who wrote in 1853, “I do not pretend to understand the
moral universe. The arc is a long one. My eye reaches but little ways. I cannot
calculate the curve or complete the figure by experience of sight. I can divine
it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends toward justice.”
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