Tuesday, April 03, 2007

you were strangers...

Last night I had the opportunity to attend a Passover Seder at my friend Hillary's place in Oakland. What a gift and honor to participate in this holy and beautiful meal celebrating God's liberating love and care for the oppressed. As we read from the Torah particularly the words calling the people of God to remember that they were strangers and must care for the stranger as they care for themselves, I recalled the recent ICE raids in Marin County and the continuing struggle for immigrant rights throughout this country. People from my church have participated in vigils calling for an end to these unjust raids and recently Bishop Marc Andrus of the Episcopal Diocese of California stood with other clergy from a variety of religious traditions calling for compassion and justice. You can read about this here and view a video here.

“The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” [Leviticus 19:33-34]

"Justice, justice shall you pursue" [Deuteronomy 16:20]

“You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” [Exodus 22: 21]

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