Remain in My Love May 10

God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just as he did us. He made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified their hearts. Why, then, are you now putting God to the test by placing on the shoulders of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? Acts 15:8-10

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. John 15:10

Piety

Let us pray: Jesus, Peter brought the Good News to all people. Help us to develop a profound sense of personalism like the disciples exhibited, recognizing God’s presence in everyone we meet, especially the people who come to our nation from distant lands seeking a new and better life. Melt away the old divisions that separate us and help us to see only those positive qualities that unite us as a common family. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/051007.shtml

The old divisions melt away in the Kingdom of God. There are no Jews and Gentiles. Americans and Russians. Iraqis and Koreans. Cubans and Iranians.

If there are no nationalities and no denominations, there is simply the belief that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. We believe that we Virginians are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as the Mexicans or Canadians, in the same way as the French or the Sudanese.

We hold the key. Keep the commandments Jesus gave us and we will remain in His love. Its that simple.

Action

The immigration debate continues at a quickening boil in the consciousness of America. As we are engaged in an almost endless war on terror, many people are tempted to treat everyone who is “different” as a potential threat.

That’s where we – as Christians – are different. As the old song goes, “They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

Do you love everyone, no matter where they were born, no matter what color their skin, no matter who issues their passport?

As Pope Benedict travels to Brazil this week, our political and personal views on how the faith spreads regardless of borders and nationalities are challenged by the church’s teaching.

Meditate on today’s title…Remain in my love.

As you do, think of how this statement is directed at all people who believe, all people who love and all people who follow the commandments Jesus taught us.

The Wednesday edition of “The Washington Post” reported that “Churches in five big U.S. cities plan to protect illegal immigrants from deportation, offering their buildings as sanctuary if need be, as they pressure lawmakers to create a path to citizenship for the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.”

Beginning Wednesday, a Catholic church in Los Angeles and a Lutheran church in North Hollywood each intend to shelter one person, and churches in other cities plan to do so in coming months as part of what is called the “New Sanctuary Movement.”

This weekend, we have a special opportunity to stand up for immigrant families at an interfaith prayer vigil at the White House.

Click here for more information about "Hope for Immigrant Families: An Interfaith Prayer Vigil."

The White House's most recent plan for immigration "reform" would undermine family reunification and allow visas only for workers without their families. And with voices in Congress and the media calling for ever-harsher measures targeting immigrant families, it is more important than ever that we stand in solidarity with the strangers in our midst.

The vigil, which has been organized by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, will be May 13 from 7-8 p.m. at Lafayette Park, in front of the White House.