Drawing by Francesco Piobbichi
Read: Matthew 25:31-40
…for I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matthew 25:35, NRSV).
Back in 2019, I wrote a series of Bible studies focused on the Bible’s consistent call to welcome the stranger. I’ve decided it’s time to revisit that series.
Musicians don’t typically offer an encore unless their audience asks for one. In this case, it’s not so much the audience that’s demanding an encore, but current events. Rhetoric has grown increasingly vicious, racist, and violent as politicians seek to stoke the fear and anger they think will get them elected. In language that sounds chillingly like the fascism of the 1930’s and 40’s, Donald Trump accuses immigrants of being sub-human and of “poisoning the blood” of America.
Just as chilling to me is the failure of so many Christians to speak out against this rhetoric and the policies that grow out of it. Many of us seem to be oblivious to the content of our own Scriptures.
And so, I offer this, the Encore Edition of the “Welcoming the Stranger” Series.
Joseph Stalin is said to have observed that “a single death is a tragedy; a million deaths are a statistic.” One doesn’t have to approve of Stalin to recognize his point. And it may have something to do with our insensitivity to the very human faces of immigrants and refugees. Overwhelmed by statistics (for example, it’s estimated that the civil war in Sudan has created over 8 million refugees), we become numb to the very human tragedies that would allow us to recognize the face of Jesus in these “strangers.”
That’s why I decided to focus on one person’s story for each of the reflections in this series. The stories are true and are brought vividly to life by Italian artist and relief worker, Francesco Piobbichi. While the “border” in these stories is the Mediterranean Sea, the themes of desperation and hope apply to people everywhere who leave their homes in search of safety and a better life.
Each reflection features a story, a drawing, Scripture, prayer, discussion questions, and
action prompts. I pray that they awaken in you a deeper sense of why “welcoming the stranger” is not only central to the Christian faith but incumbent upon those of us who profess to be Christians.
Discussion/Reflection:
- Why do you think there is so much hostility toward immigrants and refugees even among Christians?
- Where in the world do you see Jesus in the faces of “strangers”?
Action:
- Read more about Humanitarian Corridors, a program connected with an ecumenical agency called Mediterranean Hope.
- To learn more about Francesco Piobbichi’s artwork, see Francesco Piobbichi’s Drawings from the Frontier.
Prayer: Give us the courage to see beyond statistics. Show us how to welcome others as you have welcomed us.