Letter I've Sent...

Dear Bishops of the United States, 

(I've sent it to my archdiocese)

I am writing to you about the humanitarian crisis already in progress at the Southern border of our country and asking you to consider inviting each diocese, to be a witness to all the powers and principalities that currently ignore the sufferings of those caught in the crossfire, who can neither flee, nor find safety, shelter and peace, of an alternative to both war and ignoring their suffering. 

At the border of Texas, there is a tent city full of children, and there are many stories in the news, about caravans of refugees seeking to come here, seeking asylum.   We need to recognize that these people are pawns in a political game and opt not to be drawn into the trap of ignoring the good we could do, as a price for gaining some other good.  Spiritually, we must remember, we cannot bring about a good end, by an evil means, or a just outcome, via sin.   We must not ignore suffering, and/or willfully cause or enable it by policy or neglect of enforcement of said policy.  

If we remember, back when war with Syria seemed inevitable in 2013, Pope Francis asked the Church to pray and fast for peace.  Somehow, the war which seemed unavoidable, evaporated...overnight. Perhaps it is time to make that request again, and this time, add alms giving in the form of each parish taking on a family.  

Perhaps the Pope could ask all of the Church to do the same, and then our fellow Christians and Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters to each take on a family at each church, each mosque, each temple. Collectively, we would be able to whittle that picture of endless despair down, and perhaps help prove there is another way to address "such relentless hate." Indifference, like hate, can be countered by "riding out to meet them."  Problems aren't intractable just because they're difficult to resolve. Problems remain intactable because people refuse to be moved or to move.

We don't have to solve all, but we could start by each parish adopting a family, and bringing them here, and giving them refuge, room in the inn. It would be a sign to the world of how we can do something other than nothing and better than imprisonment/indefinite detainment and impotent violence.  It would require of each of us, both as individuals and as a Church in each diocese, is embracing the cross.

 Somehow, we have to know, if we are Catholic, everything always requires sacrifice.  Part of why the church struggles now, is it keeps trying to preach the Gospel without the cost, without suffering, without willful sacrifice. We all know, the only way to the resurrection, is through the cross. The Gospel is a story of sacrifice, of love, and we cannot preach a Gospel of love if it requires nothing of us.  Love always requires everything of us.   That's why (given our fallen nature), it's difficult. 

Somehow, we have to know, peace isn't the merely absence of conflict.  Anyone who ever had a silent fight knows how a house feels when two people aren't getting along.  On a global scale, we can't know peace when we wilfully ignore suffering so as to "get along."

What we keep forgetting, as individuals and whole peoples, is when we ignore a problem because it is hard, it gets bigger.  It's true with weight. It's true with debt.  It's true with education. It's true with politics. It’s true with sin, it’s true with scandal.  It's true with everything that matters in life.  When we ignore problems because they are difficult, we eventually wind up ignoring people.   

Right now, some diocese are coordinating aid to help some, but we need to speak with one voice, to remind the world we can be a potent source of warmth, light, hope and love, and that we’re more than we’ve allowed ourselves to become. The Church, acting as one, despite being many, could do this.

Risk is always involved when we reach out to a stranger, to an other, whenever we offer love but to do otherwise, is indifference (which is the simplest path and what we've done as a world whenever we thought we could).  We've tried indifference. It has lead to where we are now, with countless people including children searching for room in the inn of the world. It’s time to lead the world and remind them, we are called to be far better, and we can with God’s grace, make the world ache less.

So please Bishops, imitate what you want done, and beg us to follow.  Ramp up your prayers, fasting and alms giving, storming Heaven, asking for the peace the world cannot give. If we show we are not living as this world would have us, but as the next, perhaps we can have better pictures and better stories to tell.

I know, there are many who view any opposition to the existing political leaders as reflexive, and I hope you can sway their hearts that we're not supposed to be unflinchingly loyal to anyone or any party but Christ. 

I also know it may seem unreasonable to pray for peace when we are at present, such a conflicted country. How could it possibly happen? That's okay. God loves unreasonably. We can be unreasonable with God in our prayers, and God wants true peace for all of us, even more than we do. It may seem crazy to give alms when there are so many in need. How could our little be sufficient?  That's okay. Give what you can. God will do the multiplying. He's done it before.   It may even seem scary to take on caring for people of a different faith, people we don't know, and to invite them into our lives. It is. Again, that's okay. 

Love is always unreasonable, generous and courageous.  I believe, we are called to be an unreasonably generous and courageous loving people to this large crowd of people, all bearing Christ’s face in distressing disguise.  Please.  Lead. 

Sincerely,

Sherry Antonetti