Our Puritan ancestors never would have understood the concept of Black Friday, a day when hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people surge into stores looking for the “deals” offered by merchants hopping to make up for what has not been a particularly good financial year.
, But this weekend is more than shopping. Just as we are preparing for the season of Advent, ending when a poor young woman gave birth to the One whom we celebrate as a new hope for the world, the man who is supposed to provide some moral leadership for the Nation announced that immigration from poor nations will be halted.
Blaming immigrants for an increase in crime, which has no relationship to reality, Trump pledged to “terminate” millions of admissions over the previous five years, eliminate benefits for noncitizens, and begin a denaturalization process. Welcome to Bethlehem.
Prayer for the Day
Fearing the light of your face, we turn away,
Offering only reasoned hopes and measured faith;
Serving the spirit of timidity, we build shrines of isolation,
And shade possibilities offered us and others..
Turn us around to see your full light,
Transforming us into bold new images of your face.
In the name of the One who is your face on earth,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
They’re terrified. It’s insane. People are acting xenophobic because of one deranged man. He doesn’t represent all Afghans. He represents himself.
Shawn VanDriver, served in Afghanistan, #AfghanEvac
What a sad era it is when it is easier to smash an atom than a prejudice.
Albert Einstein, Jewish refugee, physicist (1879-1955)
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest saw hm and passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite… But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him ot an inn, and took care of him. … Which ot these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus replied, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10: 29-37