In this season of preparing for Christmas, there is a growing number of unaccompanied children arriving on the U.S. southwestern border. The numbers have been increasing in the last few months, enough to move government offices to prepare for their coming. National security continues to be the most important governmental concern, but even then, laws require that migrant children detained by our government be fed and sheltered until they can be released to a legal sponsor. It leads me to wonder: If governmental offices are preparing to receive these unaccompanied children, then what are we Christians doing to prepare to receive them?
Every Christmas as the story of the birth of Jesus our Lord is read in congregations and in homes there are always the laments about how sad and even cruel it was that there was no place for Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus. Where was the loving and caring welcome for them? We cannot change the most unwelcome reception the Christ Child received at his birth, but we can learn from it.
We can commit to not leave any child unwelcome lest we fail to welcome the Christ Child born anew among us every day. Jesus once said that when we welcome the one who sojourns among us we welcome him (Matthew 25:35). Those most blessed on that first Christmas were the ones who came to welcome the Christ Child, first among them the shepherds in the fields. Those shepherds heard the angels singing the good news, the wonderful joyous news that the Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born and left their flocks in the field to go and see what the angels had proclaimed. The signs were there! God was with them!
One of the lessons I have consistently learned from immigrant families and even unaccompanied children, is that all along their immigrant journey and especially in the darkest places along the way, God has come to them and sustained them with the fullness of divine love. Sometimes they smile when they tell me about their encounters with God, and sometimes they weep, but they are always grateful for God’s faithfulness.
It is a blessing to be in the presence of those who have seen God and who now bear that witness within them. The signs of God’s faithful presence among us are there within the hearts and witness of our immigrant brothers and sisters. We will be blessed as we go forth to welcome the immigrant and the unaccompanied child among us.
Some of us undoubtedly are thinking, but what can I do or give to welcome these unaccompanied children, immigrant families, refugees among us? What we learn from the gospel according to Luke is that it takes little to nothing to welcome another. It was in a smelly manger, a trough for feeding animals, that the newborn babe of Christmas was laid. But it was enough — enough to get the angels singing, and the shepherds moving, and all of creation stirring, for God himself had arrived! It is the nature of our God to come asking for very little from us but giving us so very much. I believe that God comes to us in the immigrant child, our immigrant brother and sister, asking that we but welcome them with whatever we have. We will be blessed by God himself as we do so.
We must admit, however, that fear is the state of life in this country these days. Terrorism abroad and at home has made us fearful of others, especially the immigrant. We would do well to listen to the words of the angel to the shepherds, “Fear not, I bring you good news …(Luke 2:10).” The entire host of angels praising God in the presence of the shepherds also said to them, “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors (Luke 2:14).”
God who comes to earth in the Christ Child loves all of creation. But Holy Scripture is abundantly clear that our God is one who favors those whom society would consider the least among us (Matt. 25:31-46). Jesus himself is born as one of the least among us, and the good news of his birth is first shared with economically poor shepherds. Those who sojourn on the earth forced to migrate from home to strange lands are on Christ’s short list of those God favors. So how shall we find our peace if we do not welcome those whom God favors?
Fear that holds us back from welcoming the Christ Child who comes close to us in the unaccompanied child, immigrant families, and refugees, is but an obstacle to experiencing the presence and love of God! Fear is unnecessary for we are all in the hands of God who loves us enough to send Christ for our salvation. Let us set aside fear, living lives of welcome and generosity. As we welcome the unaccompanied child and our immigrant sisters and brothers, we shall welcome the Christ Child and joy and peace shall come among us!
Bishop Minerva G. Carcano is Los Angeles Area Bishop of the United Methodist Church.
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