I have called this second Christian view, the Christian Optimist. I found this to be an apt term as the tenets of this view always believes that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world. That is, the human is able to overpower brokenness. Human will not be perfect, but will continue to move towards God; and for this reason, compassion must be shown to all humans.
Less than a year ago, the tattered body of Kurdi, a Syrian migrant washed up on the shore of a Turkish beach. The world went into a frenzy as they see the evils that migrants or potential migrants face when it came knocking on the doors of the Western powers. Pope Francis reacted by appealing to all churches in Europe to take on and care for a migrant family. This was …show more content…
It calls not only Roman Catholics but all Christians to offer care for all those who are in need; to remember that Jesus’ teaching challenges us to transcend borders. This vigor to all to all on behalf of migrants Francis carried with him on his recent trip to the US. In both his address to the US Congress and the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), Francis calls for a special care and realizations of the struggles of migrants. In his address to Congress, Francis states “Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions. On this continent (America), too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome. Let us remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12). With this, Christians are called to have a view of optimism, that is, not be focused on …show more content…
Benedict XVI in his message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees in 2007 invites all to reflect on the life and struggle of migrants, especially of families that are forced into migration. He continues by drawing listeners to the story of the holy family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus), who was forced to leave Egypt in order to flee the persecution of king Herod (Mt. 2:13-15). He cites the words of another Pope, Pius XII, who in 1952 wrote “The family of Nazareth in exile, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, emigrants and taking refuge in Egypt to escape the fury of an evil king, are the model, the example and the support of all emigrants and pilgrims of every age and every country, of all refugees of any condition who, compelled by persecution and need, are forced to abandon their homeland, their beloved relatives, their neighbors, their dear friends, and move to a foreign land” (Exsul familia, AAS 44, 1952, 649). Benedict Xvi continues by acclaiming “In this misfortune experienced by the Family of Nazareth, obliged to take refuge in Egypt, we can catch a glimpse of the painful condition in which all migrants live, especially, refugees, exiles, evacuees, internally displaced persons, those who are persecuted. We can take a quick look
Less than a year ago, the tattered body of Kurdi, a Syrian migrant washed up on the shore of a Turkish beach. The world went into a frenzy as they see the evils that migrants or potential migrants face when it came knocking on the doors of the Western powers. Pope Francis reacted by appealing to all churches in Europe to take on and care for a migrant family. This was …show more content…
It calls not only Roman Catholics but all Christians to offer care for all those who are in need; to remember that Jesus’ teaching challenges us to transcend borders. This vigor to all to all on behalf of migrants Francis carried with him on his recent trip to the US. In both his address to the US Congress and the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), Francis calls for a special care and realizations of the struggles of migrants. In his address to Congress, Francis states “Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions. On this continent (America), too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome. Let us remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12). With this, Christians are called to have a view of optimism, that is, not be focused on …show more content…
Benedict XVI in his message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees in 2007 invites all to reflect on the life and struggle of migrants, especially of families that are forced into migration. He continues by drawing listeners to the story of the holy family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus), who was forced to leave Egypt in order to flee the persecution of king Herod (Mt. 2:13-15). He cites the words of another Pope, Pius XII, who in 1952 wrote “The family of Nazareth in exile, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, emigrants and taking refuge in Egypt to escape the fury of an evil king, are the model, the example and the support of all emigrants and pilgrims of every age and every country, of all refugees of any condition who, compelled by persecution and need, are forced to abandon their homeland, their beloved relatives, their neighbors, their dear friends, and move to a foreign land” (Exsul familia, AAS 44, 1952, 649). Benedict Xvi continues by acclaiming “In this misfortune experienced by the Family of Nazareth, obliged to take refuge in Egypt, we can catch a glimpse of the painful condition in which all migrants live, especially, refugees, exiles, evacuees, internally displaced persons, those who are persecuted. We can take a quick look