By Jeffery R. Patterson, Executive Director, Texas Catholic Conference

We are given to many meditations during the Advent season; several involve how Gospel narratives can be applied to circumstances today.  One of the most profound involves the Holy Family's struggles in the Nativity gospels and the plight facing contemporary migrant families.

This connection across time is not as arbitrary as some political leaders may wish.  Diaspora and migration--and the hardships and uncertainties that accompany them--are ubiquitous themes throughout the Bible.  Above all, the story of the Holy Family has become something of an archetype for refugee families throughout history. As related in the Gospel of Matthew, Mary and Joseph are pilgrims to Bethlehem--without shelter or support--who are forced to give birth to the infant Jesus in a humble stable.  Soon after, the new family must escape to Egypt to avoid King Herod's edict for infanticide of newborns to thwart future challenges to his rule.  The new parents were refugees, fleeing their homeland to seek safety and sustenance in another land and praying that their fellows there would show them kindness and mercy.

The Nativity is a powerful story. Surely, it is not merely coincidence that the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops plans the observance of National Migration Week (January 8 through 14) so quickly after Christmas.  As it has for the past 25 years, this year's National Migration Week celebration seeks to guide Catholics to grasp the Church's transnational diversity and better understand the plight of migrants searching for better lives or fleeing persecution, war, or violence. Such a humble and inspiring story still resonates so clearly as a religious meme that it serves to encourage all Catholics to open our hearts and homes to migrant families who may be isolated and vulnerable.

Immigration is a familiar issue in Texas, where immigrants are drawn by dreams of a better life or to escape the lawlessness that consumes many regions across the border.  Who among us would not share such dreams?  The failure of federal officials to embrace fair and comprehensive immigration reform, coupled with a history of inconsistent U.S. border enforcement, has led to exploitation of migrant families and simmering frustration across the country.

The Catholic Church has long argued that this situation is unacceptable.  Jesus taught (and America’s founders embraced) that every human being has God-given, universal, and inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Implied within those rights is the natural right to emigrate, since securing life’s necessities may require relocating elsewhere--provided you abide by the laws and sustain the community to which you move.  Such freedom pervades the Gospels, with Jesus guiding his followers through a traveling ministry that was sustained by the generosity of the communities they visited.

Such is our role as people of faith: to provide succor for those brethren seeking better lives, to ensure that our neighbors are willing to explore an open and honest dialogue about the complex issues of migration, and to advocate for a fair and compassionate answer to this problem.  The USCCB has developed a series of educational materials to assist parishes in fostering that dialogue.  These resources can be located on the USCCB website here. Additionally, the U.S. bishops continue to encourage advocacy efforts by the Catholic community on comprehensive immigration reform. Visit the Justice for Immigrants Campaign website for more information: www.justiceforimmigrants.org.