MATTHEW 19:14
Parents were bringing their children to Jesus for His blessing. Jesus’ disciples rebuked them. Disciples were making a judgment thinking they were protecting Jesus from an intrusion/invasion of unwanted guests. The Master had better things to do. Back in Jesus’ day, children were pretty much dismissed as only future heirs or as someone who would help in a family business one day. Jesus turns the table and describes the children as those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive only Me, but Him who sent Me.” Mark 9:36-37 Jesus’ message is always counter cultural.He came as representative of His Father to build a kingdom of heaven on earth. The prayer Jesus taught us includes, “thy kingdome come, thy will be done on earth as it is heaven.
TODAY’S IMAGE IN THE NEWS OF CHILD SEPARATED FROM MOTHER
FLIGHT INTO EGYPT
“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 grave. It is quite an irony: He, who made the universe, became a homeless person.
The Letter to the Hebrews urges us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb 13:2). 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.”
Jesus, Son of God, is the fullest revelation of God. But it is not only the New Testament that talks about hospitable and charitable behavior to our neighbor. Jesus’ message of love everyone, treat everyone as you wish to be treated is certainly foretold in the Old Testament.
Numerous passages in the Old Testament show how visitors are to be treated: “You shall not oppress or afflict a resident alien, for you were once aliens residing in the land of Egypt Exodus 22:20. Isaiah 58:7 declares that the fast God requires is “bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house.” “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall love the alien as yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt” Leviticus 19:33-34.
BORDER DETENTION CENTER
US CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE
“Our government has the discretion in our laws to ensure that young children are not separated from their parents and exposed to irreparable harm and trauma. Families are the foundational element of our society and they must be able to stay together. While protecting our borders is important, we can and must do better as a government, and as a society, to find other ways to ensure that safety. Separating babies from their mothers is not the answer and is immoral.”
Pope Francis recently said, “countries “must move from considering others as threats to our comfort to valuing them as persons whose life experience and values can contribute greatly to the enrichment of our society.”
In past posts, I have discussed all the corporal works of mercy. Today I remind my readers of the corporal work of mercy, shelter the homeless.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: 2447. “The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. 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.
How do we feel about immigrants who come to our shores for safety? Down through history, there have always been a certain number of people who were homeless and harbor less, more than likely our own ancestors.. We as Christians need to treat the immigrants with respect and according to their human dignity, as we would want to be treated ourselves.
The plight of millions of refugees driven from their homes by war may seem far away from our nation, but homelessness is also right on our doorstep. There is a danger that, like the rich man in the parable, we no longer see the Lazarus we practically have to step over.
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. 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!
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