In the early 1900’s my great-grandfather came over from Sicily as a youth. Not too long after that, WWI broke out, and he fought for our nation. No doubt, this is a story many of us recognize from our own family’s history. And as we are here to attest to those stories, it is clear they went on to find life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But what about now?
As I sat in the Five Stars Honduras Restaurant on Friday, April 25th, Jaime and I talked about the tragedy unfolding before us. Earlier that day, there were reports of I.C.E. activity in the Coraopolis neighborhood. After some investigative work by members of Casa San Jose, it was determined that I.C.E. officers chased down a kid on his bike that was on his way to work earlier that morning. They learned he was only 17 and let him go. For a brief moment, we found solace in the fact they at least weren’t detaining kids. Then, we learned otherwise. DHS and I.C.E. are now targeting a group known as unaccompanied minors. At first, they claimed it was an act of benevolence, to make sure this group of kids who entered the U.S. on their own, and their legal sponsors, are not being exploited. However, it has now been confirmed the goal is to detain them, try them as criminals, or try their host families as criminals. Is this the freedom and justice that so many have fought and died for?
As you and I watch, listen, read, and wrestle with all that is before us, we have a decision to make. How do we approach these issues? As a United Methodist, and more importantly, as a Christian, there is a particular section in scripture I would like to point you toward. Hopefully, this helps you determine which lens to watch, listen, read, and wrestle through and what actions should follow.
Titled “The Judgement of the Nations,” Matthew 25:31-46 reads,
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Following this passage, those who were in authority and power plotted to arrest and kill Jesus. The message to serve the least of these, the message to care for and welcome in those in need is not the most popular message, especially when you are trying to keep power for yourself. Jesus was never about withholding love and care from anyone, no matter what it cost him. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are told to do the same. We don’t do it because we are afraid of the gates of hell; Jesus took care of that too. We do it, because we love Jesus, and we have accepted the responsibility in our membership vows, in our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, to put the kingdom of God first, and all the justice and mercy therein, before any other earthly kingdom we are a part of.
Senator Cory Booker, who attended an African Methodist Episcopal Church in his youth, said, “This is a moral moment. It is not left or right, it is right or wrong.” Friends, what we have before us is not about politics; it is about how we serve Jesus in this moment and time. What stories will future generations have to tell? How will you be portrayed in that story? As Joshua states in Joshua 24:15 and I echo, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Amen.
From one light to another,
Pastor Hannah
Photo by Paul Cone