Monday, April 12, 2021

Yesterday, The Washington Post carried a story about a Brazilian woman searching for a place where she could be vaccinated without fear of being apprehended by ICE. She is not alone.  Even immigrants with work authorization are afraid to go for the vaccine because they think it will hurt their chances of becoming “legal.”

Often the undocumented, even those who have taxpayer ID numbers and who pay taxes, have nothing more than a passport or a national ID card issued by their consular officials.  They don’t have driver licenses; they use public transportation or ride bicycles even in the winter.  Some merely walk miles to their low-paying jobs.

One woman I know left the U.S. for Canada because although she had been granted protection, it was not permanent.  A certified health care worker, she worked at a nursing home over this past year. As a result Canada has granted her residence status.  There are many health care workers here in the U.S. without residence status.  Doesn’t it make sense to grant them their residence because of the risks they have taken to care for the rest of us?

Prayer for the Day

God of light, enter into the dark recesses of our souls,

   Where we hide our fear, anger, and despair even from ourselves;

Enter into us, opening up a vision of your love,

   Expanding the possibilities of what we can be.

Enable us to move beyond our blindness into the light,

   Enlarging our vision to the demands of your Gospel.

In the name of the One who opens us to all possibilities,

   Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Thoughts for the Day

Humanity is not some box I should have to check.

            Jose Antonio Vargas, undocumented Pulitzer Prize winning journalist

Man-made borders shouldn’t matter more than people.

            Romina Garber, Argentinian-American writer

Listen to me, you who know righteousness,

   You people who have my teaching in your hearts;

Do not fear the reproach of others, and do not be dismayed when they revile you.

   For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm like wool,

Bu my deliverance will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.

            Isaiah 51: 7-8

Watch Our Planet, One Planet

Click here to watch this ambititious documentary, which streamed on Netflix, facilitates our experience of our planet's natural beauty and examine how climate change impacts all living creatures. Enjoy!