Lenten Reflection on Migrant People

You will love the immigrant because you were immigrants in Egypt. Dt 10,19

Lent 2023

We befan 2023 with news of violence, wars, natural disasters, environmental catastrophes, road accidents, and power struggles on the digital continent. Faced with all this, unfortunately the news of immigrants continues to be painful: more than 70 migrants die in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya (1). Seven people arrested after the discovery of 18 dead migrants in a truck in Bulgaria (2). At least 41 dead froma the crash of a bus with migrants in Gualaca, Panama (3).

It is important that during this time of Lent, we continue to offer hope and solidarity with our neighbor, materialized in actions that build a better quality of life for the future of so many people who are on the road. Lent is the time, far from living in isolation, to encounter each other as brothers and sisters in this same common home. This time on the way to the desert is the opportunity to move from individualism to spaces where “our tent” expands and we can look at the heart of the immigrant brother and sister.

Prayer for reflection (4):

Lord God,

You call us to journey with you through the desert during this season of Lent.

Our wilderness is a terrifying place, filled with the distractions of the work in the advancement of the Kingdom. But, we have accepted this pilgrimage voluntarily and with good disposition; guide our hearts, minds and feet.

On this pilgrimage, we now turn our attention to our brothers and sisters who are immigrants.

We remember the story of baby Jesus. When you sent your son to earth, he immediately became an immigrant, persecuted by violence.

Many of our sisters and brothers are forced to leave their homes and loved ones due to violence, hunger and lack of opportunity. For them, this is a journey, not an option.

Accompany the baby who will never know a birthplace, except through the fears of his older siblings.

Accompany the young man who must travel many dangerous miles to find the remotest hope of feeding his loved ones.

Accompany the young woman who must cross dangerous waters to guarantee the security of her livelihood.

Stay close to the grandparents who cannot go on and must say goodbye, certain that they will not see their grandchildren grow up.

Accompany young parents who are exposed to the danger of sexual violence to offer their children an opportunity.

Help law enforcement officers and court systems find compassion in the face of laws that seek to exclude.

Touch and move the hearts of our elected leaders who have the power to make positive change that allows people to stay in their hometowns.

Oh Lord, accompany each one of us.

As we look at our immigrant brothers and sisters, show us Jesus, the immigrant in them, not only the fear and pain, but also the hope and promise that their lives hold.

Make these 40 days a living Lent in which we get to know you more deeply. Amen.

Resources for reflection and prayer

Message of the Holy Father Francis for Lent 2023

Welcome Stories: How Franciscans Welcome Ukrainian Families

The Bible and Immigration Reform