Behold the Crucified One: The Immigrant Among Us

~ How often do we pass by a crucifix without even thinking about its meaning? Horrific, unspeakable suffering. Furthermore, how often do we pass by the crucified people among us with the same indifference? This week I received a call from a mother of two small children, an immigrant from an indigenous community in Central America, whose husband was rapidly deported back to their home country days ago. This in itself has become commonplace in recent months in our city, but what struck me about this particular case was her proximity to our church. She lives mere blocks away. How many times have I passed her house on my way to St. Margaret not knowing the suffering she and her children endure in the shadows of our society (and practically in the shadow of our steeple)? She is one with Christ on the Cross. What will happen if we behold this suffering face to face?

On the one hand, the Cross is a reminder of the unthinkable suffering in our world–another victim of violence and oppression; however, the Cross is also a sign of the greatest love imaginable. The only One who does not have to suffer freely chooses to suffer with us. Today we hear St. Paul tells us that “though he was in the form of God”, Christ emptied and humbled himself through death on the Cross; however, some scholars have noted that another appropriate translation is “because he was in the form of God.”* Our God, contradicting all expectations of the divine, dies a human death because that is what Love does. Because this is who God is.

Are we willing to follow the path of Christ, emptying and humbling ourselves to love those who are suffering? If your answer is yes, I encourage you to contact me to see how we as a community might walk with this family. 314-632-6521, MigrantMinistrySTL@gmail.com.

Please join us on Sunday October 5 as we make a pilgrimage from SMOS to St. Pius V for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees following the 10am Mass.   

*See Inhabiting the Cruciform God: Kenosis, Justification, and Theosis in Paul’s Narrative Soteriology. By Michael J. Gorman. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009.

Throughout the year, we present an article in the bulletin each week on a variety of topics, written by a member of our Parish staff or ministries on a rotating basis.