Immigration: A Catholic Response

Part II:The Bible and Migrants

Migration & the Hebrew Scriptures

• All people are created in God’s image:God created humans in the divine image; in the divine image God created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them…. (Gen 1:27-28)

• God’s invitation to pilgrimage The Lord said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great so that you will be a blessing.” (Gen 12:1-2)

“You shall not oppress a foreigner; you well know how it feels to be a foreigner, since you were once foreigners yourself in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9; Dt 10:17-19)

“When a foreigner resides with you in your land, do not molest him. You shall treat the foreigner who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; have the same love for them as for yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt. (Lv 19:33-34)

Hebrew Scriptures

• Call of Abraham and Sarah to emigrate (Gen 12)

• Jacob´s family immigrates to Egypt (Gen 37)

• Israelites escape from Egypt to promised land (Exodus)

Hebrew Scriptures

Christian Scriptures

• Mary, Joseph and Jesus flee to Egypt as refugees (Mt 2:13-23)

• Human beings with the same origin and destiny (Mt 23:9)

• Jesus welcomes foreigners: Samaritan woman, Good Samaritan, thankful Samaritan leper.

• Diaspora of the early church (Acts 8:1)

• All are one in the Lord, neither Greek nor Jew, male nor female…. (Gal 3:28)

• When one suffers, all suffer.

(1 Cor 1:26-27)

Christian Scriptures

• Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. (Heb 13:2)

• Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me. (Mt 10:40)

• For I was a stranger and you welcomed me. (Mt 25:36)

• Risen Christ calls apostles to go forth to baptize all nations. (Mt 28)

Christian Scriptures