The grace of migrants and refugees
“Your gates will always be open, they will never be closed, neither by day nor by night, so that the wealth of the nations may be brought into your house.” (Is 60:11)
When we listen to the news, we witness upheaval on a global scale. Wars, disasters, droughts, famines and climatic incidents are taking place before our very eyes with appalling consequences for the people. Often having lost everything, entire families take to the road in search of safety, a better life and work to provide for their families. This road is strewn with pitfalls, difficulties and people or groups who want to take advantage of their situation. At the borders, the reception is mixed. They face discrimination, arbitrary decision-making, illegal profiling and prolonged or arbitrary detention. When welcomed into a country, their situation often remains precarious.
In his message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2022, Pope Francis reminds us that building the Kingdom of God means building the future with migrants and refugees, recognizing and valuing what each of them can bring to the building process. “The presence of migrants and refugees represents a great challenge, but also an opportunity for cultural and spiritual growth for all. Thanks to them, we have the possibility of getting to know the world and the beauty of its diversity. We can mature in humanity and together build a greater We.”
Through these pages of the International Bulletin, we will discover various experiences with migrants, refugees and immigrants. Although the values of hospitality, proximity, solidarity and fraternity are present, is there a deeper invitation?
At the end of Lent, I invite us to take a contemplative look at our daily lives, at our world, and to listen to the deep desire that arises. Can we detect in it the beauty of diversity and the call to live with our brothers and sisters the “We” of the Kingdom?
