Testifying to the light
Today, on this seventh day in the octave of Christmas, and the last day of our calendar year, we hear some of the most powerful lines in all of Scripture: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” And, regarding Jesus’ birth, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”
These readings remind us that all that is good in the world — life, beauty, truth — come from God, and that the light of God has overcome darkness and death forever. Our lives are made worthwhile by the true light who came to enlighten all.
This truth can be deeply comforting, even as we see the troubling effects of darkness, hatred and lies all around us. In the immigration legal field in which I work, there is a great deal of fear among immigrant communities over what the future holds. Many fear they will be separated from their children and loved ones or put in danger. There are also many lies told about immigrants and immigration in the public sphere which dehumanize and harm our migrant brothers and sisters.
We know that immigration is deeply complex, and there are no easy answers to solve the thorniest policy or legal issues on this subject in our time. But, on this issue, I ask myself, despite all the complexity, how can we as Christians “testify to the light?”
Most fundamentally, I believe it is our job to insist, based on our faith, on the equal dignity of every person. The migrant sitting at the border wall, with no papers or shoes, and nowhere to lay his head, has just as much dignity and worth as any CEO on Wall Street, or as you or I. That inherent dignity is what Christ gives us, in coming as a human person, a poor and humble child, which we celebrate at Christmas.
As we debate law and policy on immigration, we must always place the truth at the center of our conversation. And we must urge all around us to recognize it as well. If we don’t believe in fundamental human dignity, we are not Christians. And we must promote our brothers’ and sisters’ dignity if we are to be faithful to our Gospel call.
As we continue celebrating the joy of Christmas, let us consider how we are “testifying to the light” of the dignity we are given in Christ, even when it is inconvenient or difficult. How do we recognize and promote our own dignity, as well as that of others?
Anna Marie Gallagher is Executive Director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC).