by SECAM
Text: Dt 26, 5
Commentary
According to the book of Deuteronomy, the offering of the first fruits of the harvest to the Lord was accompanied by a solemn profession of faith. It was a reminder to the people that the ancestors of Israel were not from Canaan: “My Father is a wandering Aramaic. He went down to Egypt, where he lived as an immigrant with a few people who accompanied him “(Dt 26, 5).
The experience of migration is universal. This is why the Bible asks to be attentive to the emigrants, the foreigners, as well as to the orphans and the widows. Fragile, the migrant has the right to the solicitude of the Lord, but also to that of the community: “The Lord is the incorruptible judge who executes justice to the orphan and the widow, and who loves the emigrant by giving him food and clothing” (Dt 10, 18).
The Word of God invites to fight for migrants at the level of hospitality and legally. It calls us to perceive migration as a rewarding encounter. Do not think only of migrations to other continents, but also within the continent, or even the country. How do we welcome ourselves in our neighbourhoods, our villages, or our Christian communities?
The Church shows support for African migrants outside and inside the continent. She challenges the responsibility to all, especially Africans.
Continuous meditation: Solidarity with migrants
“The Church remembers that Africa was a place of refuge for the Holy Family who fled Herod’s bloodthirsty political power in search of a land that promised them security and peace. The Church will continue to make her voice heard and to invest in defending all people” (Benedict XVI, Africae Munus, 85).