Where is the love? With such conversations about not accepting refugees and the horrific events that have caused many of us to question humanity, I have been tangled, thinking about how I can help and how I can change the wave of negativity, anger, hatred…, and terror.
How can I make a difference? Can I make a difference?
The echoes of ancient stories resound through the lives of the displaced, the broken, and the fearful. Consider Mary and Joseph, fleeing with their infant son Jesus, escaping the wrath of Herod, who sought to kill all male children. They became refugees, resilient, fleeing into an uncertain existence in the hope of saving their infant son. The story of their journey continues today in the plight of families torn from their homes by violence, greed, and dominance.
The fear that drove Mary and Joseph with their infant child is no different from the terror that forces families from war zones to risk their lives in the hope of a haven. If the world looks on in silence, how empty can our hearts become if we fail to acknowledge our shared humanity?
We must see the parallels between Jesus as a refugee and families fleeing their homes across time. We are asked to witness suffering, participate in hope, and recognize that every person has the right to safety, dignity, and peace. Our response can either build walls or bridges.
The refugee is a plea for solidarity. Their survival is an act of defiance against the forces that seek to erase their lives. As the same cruelty continues in Gaza and other places around the world, may we listen, may we see, and may we act with compassion.
May our governments, world, and actions not be a modern-day Herod.
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