Across all times and places, every living being seeks stability and greater security to live—whether for food, safety, or shelter. We see this in nature, as animals move from one land to another in search of survival. The same is true of the human race, which has always lived in constant displacement. Migration is not a crime; it is a natural right of every human being. Even the Son of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ, migrated—leaving heaven to dwell among us. He made His home on earth and later ascended, taking our humanity into God’s presence. In doing so, he teaches us that we are all migrants and that our final homeland is not this earth, but the heavenly Kingdom, where there is no more pain or death.
When a migrant chooses to leave their home, they do so with faith and hope that they will fare better—seeking work, safety, dignity, and stability. That is why immigration remains such a topical issue all over the world. People move because of necessity, not luxury. However, many people from Africa, Asia, and Latin America are unaware of the deep pain, persecution, marginalization, and exploitation that awaits them. If they knew, perhaps many would not leave their homes. Throughout the journey, they face rivers, mountains, and hostile borders, where they are abused, raped, or kidnapped. And often, the causes of their migration stem from the actions of large nations that then refuse to receive them.
This painful journey resembles the spiritual journey of Lent. Lent is not only a time of prayer, fasting, and external changes such as decorations, rites, or music in the temples. It is a call to true conversion. The prophet Joel reminds us that God wants a sincere, converted, and repentant heart, both in ministers and in the people. Isaiah 58 teaches us that the fasting that pleases God is “sharing bread with the hungry, opening unjust prisons”.
Today, many churches are rich in prayers and songs, yet sometimes struggle to reflect the same abundance in compassion. We forget that the living Gospel demands a commitment to justice, especially to the migrant who arrives at our door. If we want to follow Christ, we must take up the cross. He appears in the face of the stranger, as the angels did for Abraham in Genesis 18. If our churches do not act like the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, we are far from being true worshipers in spirit and in truth.
At Saint Matthew’s/San Mateo Episcopal Church in Hyattsville, Maryland, we strive to be a church of solidarity and welcome. Although we are of limited means, we share the little we have, guided by a gospel of love. We know that by welcoming the migrant, we are not doing them a favor: we are the ones who are blessed. God visits us in them, and as in John 6, Jesus puts the bread in our hands to be shared. May we no longer see the immigrant as an intruder but as a brother or sister who comes to our home to share in the love of God.
The Reverend Vidal Rivas
Senior Priest at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
