"The reality we have here is these are some of my strongest Christian families," Fr. Steve says. "They're in church. They take care of the kids....All of this is about the children, you know?"
What upset Fr. Steve the most is that some of the workers detained have been released on bond, but with restrictions preventing them from working or driving. They cannot support their families. So, the community is joining together to take care of these workers and their families. "St. John Paul II has joined with Rutledge Baptist Church, Rutledge United Methodist and other churches to pray and support the families who are now without their primary breadwinners." ("Family News and Notes" from the Summer 2018 edition of "Glenmary Challenge.")
The generous hearts of these Christians reminds us of the first Christians mentioned in the Book of Acts who shared their own goods to make sure that no one in their community was in need. It's through generous works like these that these Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, and other Christians are living as Jesus asked his followers to live: "I give you a commandment: Love one another." (John 13: 34) Generous works like these are a partial answer to Jesus' final prayer: "I pray also for all those who will believe in me...that all may be one as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; I pray that they may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me." (John 17: 20-21).
No one takes Christianity seriously unless Christians take it seriously! NO ONE BELIEVES THAT LOVE IS REAL UNLESS THEY WITNESS PEOPLE LIVING DEEDS OF LOVE THAT REQUIRE COURAGE AND SELF-SACRIFICE.
People may say, quite seriously, that our Zero Tolerance policy is motivated by a deep respect for Law and Order. I disagree. The Zero Tolerance policy is about prejudice. It's about getting rid of "foreigners" so that only "Americans" have jobs, even if these so-called foreigners have lived here and been model, contributing "citizens" for years. Anyone who "buys" the idea that kicking our current neighbors out of the country so that there will be more jobs to go around is living out of an idea of scarcity that has nothing to do with the Gospel. For Catholics, the Gospel this weekend (John 6:1-15) features Jesus multiplying the five barley loaves and two fish to feed a huge crowd - and there were twelve baskets of fragments left over. It's an object lesson in faith that God will provide.
If the Catholic, Baptist, and Methodist communities taking care of the needs of their neighbors had stopped first to ask if they would have enough food and money to do this, could the Holy Spirit have filled them with courage? But they chose to step out in faith: "The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs."
If we as individuals and as a country are motivated by fear rather than generosity, by prejudice rather than by solidarity and neighborliness, we will have to face the consequences - the slow poisoning of our hearts and the corruption of our capitalist and democratic system. For those who live by the sword of cruel, aggressive separation will die by that sword.
Fr. Chet Artysiewicz, current President of the Glenmary Home Missioners, issued a statement on the day of the raid in Bean Station:
"This incident points out once again the urgent need for immigration reform - a need that has existed for decades and through the administrations of both political parties. We are a nation of laws and affirm that reality, but the application of laws must be done in a way that improves a situation, rather than exacerbates it....The families affected by ICE detainment and deportation are our neighbors. Our country must find a better and more moral way of dealing with these issues."
Daily Jesus asks us - as individuals and as a country - "How generous, how unprejudiced, are your hearts?" Fr. Chet, the Glenmary President (photo below) has been a long-time and determined foe of any form of prejudice. In 1987, Fr. Chet Artysiewicz protested at a Ku Klux Klan meeting in Waynesboro, Georgia, by going among the white-shrouded members holding up a sign: "'Love one another,' Jesus tells us." Today, Fr. Chet comments, "Because forms of racism can be so subtle, we may be oblivious to them in ourselves. It takes effort to recognize and overcome them. A priest friend shared a constant theme of his preaching: 'It begins with me.'"
Yes, my friends, in many subtle ways many of us ARE white supremacists if we grow angry at any changes or additions happening in our Church Liturgies which are not Anglo or European in origin. What we're saying is that our white ideas of Liturgy are superior to every other kind, that anything else does not deserve a place in our Churches. That's prejudice, folks. That's the subtle prejudice that keeps us from having pure, generous hearts. That's the kind of prejudice that escalates into kicking brown or black people, even fellow Christians, out of our country because they are - NOT Anglo or European WHITES AND THEY DON'T DESERVE TO BE HERE. In essence, when we are prejudiced, subtly or radically, we are rejecting Jesus' prayer that we may all be one as he is one with his and our Divine Father.
Jesus gave thanks before he blessed, broke, and multiplied the loaves and fish. Thankful hearts are generous hearts. When - as individuals and as a country - we are thankful for what we have, truly AWARE of ALL that we have, then we are open to sharing what we have instead of clutching it to our hearts. Yes, the eradication of prejudice begins first in the heart of each of us. May our hearts grow silent in worship to welcome the Presence of God Who tells us,
"Love one another without fear or prejudice, for my Hand will feed you and answer all your needs"