Immigrants in the Eyes of God

For the last several days I have been reading a great little book by Walter Brueggemann, Prayers for a Privileged People.  When I was serving as pastor at Holy Trinity, I used this book many times to center myself and reconnect myself to the will and heart of God.  Today, I re-read one of my favorite prayers from that time.  It is one that has taken on a whole new, deeper meaning in the last several days.  Let me offer it to you this evening:

On Controlling Our Borders

Jesus – crucified and risen – draws us into his presence again,
the one who had nowhere to lay his head, 
no safe place, 
no secure home, 
no passport or visa, 
no certified citizenship. 

We gather around him in our safety, security, and well-being,
and fret about “illegal immigrants."
We fret because they are not like us 
and refuse our language.  
We worry that there are so many of them 
and their crossings do not stop.  
We are unsettled because it is our tax dollars that sustain them 
and provide services.  
We feel the hype about closing borders and heavy fines, 
because we imagine that our life is under threat. 

And yet, as you know very well, 
we, all of us – early or late – 
are immigrants from elsewhere; 
we are glad for cheap labor 
and seasonal workers 
who do tomatoes and apples and oranges 
to our savoring delight.  
And beyond that, 
even while we are beset by fears 
and aware of pragmatic costs, we know very well 
that you are the God who welcomes strangers, 
who loves aliens and protects sojourners.

As always, we feel the tension 
and the slippage between the deep truth of our faith 
and the easier settlements of our society.

We do not ask for an easy way out, 
but for courage and honesty and faithfulness.  
Give us ease in the presence of those unlike us; 
give us generosity amid demands of those in need, 
help us to honor those who trespass
as you forgive our trespasses.

You are the God of all forgiveness. 
By your gracious forgiveness transpose us 
into agents of your will, 
that our habits and inclinations may more closely
follow your majestic lead, 
that our lives may joyously conform 
to your vision of a new world.  

We pray in the name of your holy Son, Jesus.

And I say – Amen.  AMEN.