PASTORAL REFLECTION ON IMMIGRATION
“Your brothers and sisters are outside asking for you” (Mk 3:32). These words were told to Jesus by his disciples while he was teaching to a group of followers. In his goodness, Jesus looked on the circle around him, and trying to blur all distinction between those outside and those inside, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother” (Mk 3:34-35). It is important to note that those inside the circle, as well as those outside of it, are recognized by Jesus as being his brothers and sisters. The issue of immigration in America bring about into our midst a situation similar to that of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. We find our brothers and sisters from outside this nation asking for us. Many people see in their intention to immigrate to this country an invasion of rights on part of immigrants who want to improve their ways of living at the expense of others, namely the American people. Other people, however, find in these immigrants a great opportunity to attain high quality labor for low pay; it is believed that this will increase the economy of the nation. Both of these political viewpoints lack from a fundamental vision towards those immigrants which cannot be neglected. The first one lacks of complete knowledge behind people’s intentions to immigrate. The latter sees in the immigrant a mere tool of production. The Church cannot limit herself to any of these views towards immigrants. The Church cannot see in them a people looking for mere material opportunity, nor can she look upon them as mere tools of production. Rather, she is called to see them with the eyes of Jesus, “Here are my brothers and sisters...because anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister” (Mt 12:50). READ MORE
