Scripture provides guidance on how to treat migrants

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Heb 13:2)
The United States and other countries around the globe are facing enormous humanitarian challenges in a world with more than 70 million refugees and displaced people – those who are fleeing violence, persecution and economic instabilities in their native countries – those who are seeking protection, security and a better future.
To help increase awareness, Pope Francis has designated Sunday, Sept. 29, as World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR).  The Church has been celebrating WDMR since 1914 as an occasion to express concern for many different vulnerable people on the move and to pray for the challenges that they face every day.
On May 27, during a press conference, the Holy Father delivered his message for 2019 WDMR entitled, “It is not just about migrants.” In his address, he warns advanced societies against “extreme individualism which is producing a globalization of indifference” which, in turn, puts migrants and refugees at risk of exclusion and/or marginalization. Pope Francis asserts that the global crisis is not just about migrants,
•    “It is also about our fears.”  Our fears and doubts of the unknown can deprive us of the desire to encounter the other. Pope Francis urges us to view migrants as persons not as numbers or as problems to be solved.
•    “It is about charity.” The Holy Father reminds us that the highest form of charity is shown to those who are unable to reciprocate or perhaps even thank us in return.
•    “It is about our humanity.” Compassion involves ‘suffering with’ another and makes us more human.
•    “It is about the whole person, about all people.” Every human person has inherent dignity because he/she is made in the image and likeness of God.
Pope Francis points to four verbs that can serve as our response to this era of migration: welcome, protect, promote and integrate. These words describe the Church’s mission “to build a city of God and man.”
As we approach World Day of Migrants and Refugees, how can we live out the Holy Father’s message? As a faith community, how do we educate others about the plight of migrants, debunk myths and encourage action on behalf of this vulnerable population?  
In 2000, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a pastoral statement entitled “Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity” which outlines the three basic principles of Catholic social teaching on immigration:
•    People have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families.
•    A country has the right to regulate its borders and to control immigration.
•    A country must regulate its borders with justice and mercy.
Understanding and appreciating Catholic social teaching helps us to put our faith into action.  This statement explains these principals in depth and is an excellent resource and can be used as a study guide and discussion starter within the parish or around the kitchen table (to read more visit: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/immigration/catholic-teaching-on-immigration-and-the-movement-of-peoples.cfm).
The current crisis at our southern border shows that our immigration system is overwhelmed and broken. Unfortunately, immigration remains one of the most politically polarizing issues of our time, making it difficult for our elected officials to agree on any meaningful reform.
But the wisdom of the Bible is both simple and timeless. Here is a passage that tells us how we should treat immigrants, refugees, and those in need of help. “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt” (Lv 19:33-34).
It is essential that each of us carry this message into the dialogue that our country is having today. Lord, open our hearts so that we may provide hospitality for all who come in search of refuge. Give us the courage to welcome and encounter every stranger as Christ in our midst. In the words of Pope Francis, “It is not only the cause of migrants that is at stake; it is not just about them, but about all of us, and about the present and future of the human family.”
Ruggiero is secretary, diocesan Secretariat for Family and Pastoral Life