Moral Courage
Today in our calendar of Holy Women and Holy Men we remember “The Righteous Gentiles.” These were people who risked their lives to save Jews from the Holocaust.
We Americans celebrate the untold number of people who operated the Underground Railroad prior to the Civil War who assisted runaway slaves to escape to safe havens in the north and in Canada. They too risked their lives and violated the unjust laws of their time.
Let us take time to celebrate the people of faith and others of good will who have the moral courage to shield and shelter underage immigrant children crossing our borders who are escaping war, drug violence, abuse in many forms. Rather than welcome these children and youth, our government is jailing, then deporting many of them right back into the desperate situations they worked so hard to escape–situations often created or exacerbated by U.S. foreign and economic policy.
Let’s not forget the promise of liberty enshrined in our faith, in our Declaration of Independence, in the Righteous Gentiles, in the Underground railroaders, and in the words of Emma Lazarus placed in the base of the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
From the time of Pharaoh the cry of the oppressed has risen to God who then sends prophets demanding of the oppressors, “Let my people go!” Be a prophet.
Christ Church Blog 
The specter of small children arriving alone, or perhaps with other young family members is ALL over the media. Who would not want to aide and comfort a young child frightened and so far from home? My family has already sent money to an organization that is providing food and toys to these children….
However, let us look a little deeper into this situation – the percentage of young children, say 14 yrs and under is really quite low. The percentage of teens, and adults is much higher. The percentage of those with identified gang tattoos, higher still.
Why the sudden increase in numbers? 1000% more than just 2 years ago! Is there a sudden increase in civil wars in Latin America? If so the media is curiously quiet about it….How can these “immigrants” make it through Mexico when that country jails anyone caught entering illegally? Heck US marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi made a wrong turn and is well into 100+ days in jail, yet thousands of refugees riding on top of trains, go unnoticed? Why is it OK that there are whole towns in some Latin American countries that are empty as the people have entered the US illegally?
These people have entered illegally, and bring with them severe illnesses. Where will the money to heal them, feed them, educate them come from? Where will they get jobs – the unemployment rate is still double digits here in the US. Sending them to an unsuspecting community near you or I is an act of “moral Courage”???
To me moral courage demands we use mercy AND justice. We treat them with Mercy – feed them, treat them as humans beings, BUT tell them they must enter legally, and for now must go home immediately – justice. Mary Grech
Mary,
The question is one of justice. In common parlance in the U.S., “justice” is understood as in “criminal justice,” meaning “getting as one deserves.” In biblical terms, the word “justice” has to do with “getting what God wishes for us.” In other words, the biblical words for “grace” and “mercy” and “justice” are synonyms.
“Justice” often justifies cruelty, all in the name of law and order and rules. But Jesus said “Suffer the little children to come to me.” He put no conditions on their acceptance into his arms. I like that kind of justice better. Now I am trying to figure out how to be a prophet in our world, according to the definition of Jesus, not of the courts.
Carole Ganim