“For
I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me
drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” “Truly I say to
you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did
it to me.”
Matthew
25; 35 & 40.
One of the most heartbreaking
images I saw on the news in 2015 was that of a little Syrian boy, a
toddler with Velcro sneakers who was found face down on a beach in
Turkey. The photo was captioned “Humanity Washed Ashore”. The
little boy’s name was Aylan Kurdi. His mother and five-year-old
brother also drowned when their dinghy which was provided by
smugglers capsized. The father stated that the life jackets they
were wearing were fake.
When I saw Aylan’s sneakers I
thought of the many times I have knelt and fastened a similar pair on
my grandson Leonardo’s feet. I was with him recently in Boston for
three months. When he woke up from his afternoon nap we would cuddle
on the couch with Leo wrapped in his blanket, holding tight to his
favorite stuffed animal “Rocco” the raccoon. Those moments are
so precious, sharing the coziness and warmth of home. “Home” is
cherished by each of us, especially young parents who lovingly create
a safe, warm, secure place for their children. How very desperate one
must be to leave that behind because of terrorism and war.
I recently listened to a tape
of a sermon by Reverend Morgan Roberts – (2/17/85 “Twinkle,
Twinkle Little Star … Some thoughts at the beginning of Lent”):
“And so we come to another
holy season of Lent, and we turn the focus of our faith upon that
cross. Let us glory in it, but let us remember what it means to
glory in the cross. It means to identify ourselves with all of those
and with all of that in this world that breaks the heart of God, and
to let our hearts be broken in compassion and identification with
such people.”
Loving
God, watch over the refugees of this world, fleeing bombed out
cities, facing perilous seas and exhausting journeys. Show us the
way to help and welcome them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Colleen Fisher
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