Posted on Aug 2, 2023
Communities of faith welcome migrants caught in polarized immigration debate
358
6
1
4
4
0
https://www.npr.org/2023/08/02/ [login to see] /migrants-sanctuary-sacramento
Rabbi Mona Alfi was busy preparing for evening Shabbat services at Congregation B'nai Israel in Sacramento, Calif., when her phone rang.
"It's not the ideal time to call a rabbi on a Friday afternoon," she remembers the caller saying. "But we have a situation and we could use your help."
The situation was that some Latin American migrants had been left outside an office building in downtown Sacramento.
"Help looked like making sure every person had a safe place to stay, making sure they had food to eat and had clean clothing," says Alfi. "These people had been put on a plane without anything. Not even a change of clothing, a toothbrush — not even knowing where they were going."
Rabbi Mona Alfi was busy preparing for evening Shabbat services at Congregation B'nai Israel in Sacramento, Calif., when her phone rang.
"It's not the ideal time to call a rabbi on a Friday afternoon," she remembers the caller saying. "But we have a situation and we could use your help."
The situation was that some Latin American migrants had been left outside an office building in downtown Sacramento.
"Help looked like making sure every person had a safe place to stay, making sure they had food to eat and had clean clothing," says Alfi. "These people had been put on a plane without anything. Not even a change of clothing, a toothbrush — not even knowing where they were going."
Communities of faith welcome migrants caught in polarized immigration debate
Posted from npr.org
Immigration
Refugees
Religion
Faith
Sacramento
Posted 9 mo ago
Responses: 1
2
2
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Doing justice is political in a broken world
For nearly three decades, Miles has worshipped at Trinity Cathedral, where some new banners showed up recently in the sanctuary.
One of them reads, "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and love kindness and walk humbly with your God."
It's a quote from the biblical book of Micah — Chapter 6, Verse 8.
Matthew Woodward, dean of the cathedral, wanted the banners in the worship space to remind his congregation each Sunday that they are called to do the work of justice and mercy.
He says that since the arrival of the migrants in early June, a story from the gospel of Matthew keeps echoing in his mind as he collects money in the congregation's discretionary fund to help pay for their food and shelter and clothing.
The U.S. is trying to mend ties with Venezuela. One big reason? Oil
WORLD
The U.S. is trying to mend ties with Venezuela. One big reason? Oil
"Where Jesus says to the disciples, 'You know, you fed me. You gave me water. You clothed me. You visited me in prison. You sheltered me,'" says Woodward. "And everyone around him — 'cause he's talking in riddles — says 'What are you talking about? When did we do that? We never did that.' And he said, 'When you did it to the least of these, you did it to me."
It's a story that illustrates, Woodward says, the centrality to Christian teaching of caring for migrants, who in this case are the very least of these.
"I think some of the politics dehumanizes people and I think that I can confidently say that the faith partners that I work with really want to invest people with dignity."
The undignified way these strangers arrived in Sacramento saddens Woodward. But he says as a person of faith living in a polarized world, the Gospel transforms compassion into the courage and strength to care for neighbors in need.
"I know we're trying not to be drawn on the politics," Woodward says, "but if caring for your neighbor is a political act, then it's a political act. And it's still the right thing to do."
..."Doing justice is political in a broken world
For nearly three decades, Miles has worshipped at Trinity Cathedral, where some new banners showed up recently in the sanctuary.
One of them reads, "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and love kindness and walk humbly with your God."
It's a quote from the biblical book of Micah — Chapter 6, Verse 8.
Matthew Woodward, dean of the cathedral, wanted the banners in the worship space to remind his congregation each Sunday that they are called to do the work of justice and mercy.
He says that since the arrival of the migrants in early June, a story from the gospel of Matthew keeps echoing in his mind as he collects money in the congregation's discretionary fund to help pay for their food and shelter and clothing.
The U.S. is trying to mend ties with Venezuela. One big reason? Oil
WORLD
The U.S. is trying to mend ties with Venezuela. One big reason? Oil
"Where Jesus says to the disciples, 'You know, you fed me. You gave me water. You clothed me. You visited me in prison. You sheltered me,'" says Woodward. "And everyone around him — 'cause he's talking in riddles — says 'What are you talking about? When did we do that? We never did that.' And he said, 'When you did it to the least of these, you did it to me."
It's a story that illustrates, Woodward says, the centrality to Christian teaching of caring for migrants, who in this case are the very least of these.
"I think some of the politics dehumanizes people and I think that I can confidently say that the faith partners that I work with really want to invest people with dignity."
The undignified way these strangers arrived in Sacramento saddens Woodward. But he says as a person of faith living in a polarized world, the Gospel transforms compassion into the courage and strength to care for neighbors in need.
"I know we're trying not to be drawn on the politics," Woodward says, "but if caring for your neighbor is a political act, then it's a political act. And it's still the right thing to do."
(2)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google