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Our day! La fiesta de la Virgen de Guadalupe! What a wonderful day! Because it’s an image of Mary pregnant, pro-lifers claim the day as ours. Because Mary is shown as a mestiza, immigrants and their advocates claim the day as ours. Because the image is pro-life AND pro-immigrant, people committed to the unity of the Church from left to right claim the day as ours. Because the Virgin of Guadalupe is Patroness of the Americas, people committed to unity across national borders from north to south claim the day as ours. Because the Virgin of Guadalupe is the Apostle to Mexico, the evangelist and missionary to Mexico, people with discernment regard Mexico with respect and affection, and hope that the children of Guadalupe will accept us as friends and even brothers and sisters. Because the Virgin of Guadalupe was such an effective missionary, intelligent Christians notice that her message was 90% simple presence, solid olive solidarity. Hey Mary! You are amazingly graceful! Yo...

Reflections from a consistent ethic of hospitality: pro-life, pro-immigration Third Sunday of Advent (Year C)   The Responsorial Psalm today is taken from Psalm 146. It includes reference to the specially protected Biblical trio – widows, orphans, and strangers.   The LORD loves the just; the LORD protects strangers. The fatherless and the widow he sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts.   The pair, widows and orphans, is completely familiar. But in the Old Testament, this pair is actually a trio most of the time. Here’s a quick insight from simple stats. There are 49 references to widows in Scripture. Of those 49, 21 refer to widows and orphans. It’s noteworthy that of those 21, 18 refer to widows and orphans and strangers , like Psalm 146.   Why? What’s special about these three? It is clear that God protects them in a special way, but is there a commonality among them that we can understand? Well, in many societies, a wife has depen...

 Reflections from a consistent ethic of hospitality: pro-life, pro-immigration Second Sunday of Advent (Year C)   The Gospel today is Matthew 3:1-12. It’s about John the Baptist explaining himself, and has a slightly odd reference to sandals.   “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”   The contrast that John draws is clear enough. John is a herald; Jesus is the real figure. John’s ministry is about repentance and change; Jesus brings a new Spirit and a new world. There’s baptism with water and there’s baptism with fire. But off in a corner of the passage, there’s a stray remark about carrying sandals. Who carries someone else’s sandals? I’m a parent and grandparent; I have carried sandals for kids at the beach. And I am blessed to know a wonderful and holy guy who sells shoes, who really understands fee...

  Reflections from a consistent ethic of hospitality: pro-life, pro-immigration First Sunday of Advent   The Old Testament reading today, the first reading of this liturgical year (Year C), is from Isaiah 2:1-5. It includes a universal invitation to pilgrimage.   “All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.’ ”   Who will make this pilgrimage to Jerusalem? Nations, peoples – all nations. Isaiah does not speak of individuals or even families who set out; he speaks of nations, and in fact all nations.   Why? So we can think right, and walk in his paths.   The universality recalls the plight of Adam and Eve: They ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and so they lost access to the whole Garden of Eden, including the tree of life. God “expelled the man, stationing the cherubim and the ...

from a consistent ethic of hospitality reflections on the Sunday readings, Year C First Sunday of Advent Second Sunday of Advent Third Sunday of Advent La Fiesta de la Virgen de Guadalupe Fourth Sunday of Advent

Scripture and Tradition are loaded with clear and eloquent explanations of the immense importance of welcoming strangers. God comes to us in the quiet of our hearts and speaks softly --sometimes. He also comes in as Creator of the universe, blowing up galaxies on a Wednesday morning with his cup of tea. Don't box him in! He wants us to love tenderly, but also to stretch infinitely. And so he sends us families, but also strangers.  To welcome a stranger is to open yourself to God. There are other ways to greet God, but this is a fundamental struggle. Hospitality, like chastity, is a gift and an invitation: learn to love! Chastity is love in depth; hospitality is love with breadth: both are absolutely critical in a serious live -- in a Christian life, in any human life. I've been blessed to spend years exploring God's call to welcome strangers -- in Scripture and Tradition. I've completed (first draft, in print soon) the task of explaining the Lord's command to welcom...

 Friends -- Sign of the Crossing offers insights and literature about about the right to life and the right to migrate.  Please see the links across the top of the page!