Merry Christmas - Feliz Navidad

Por la entrañable misericordia de nuestro Dios, nos visitará el Sol que nace de lo alto. Lc. 1, 78

Grazie alla bontà misericordiosa del nostro Dio, per cui verrà a visitarci dall'alto un Sole che sorge. Lc. 1, 78

Grâce à la tendresse, à l'amour de notre Dieu, quand nous visite l'Astre d'en haut. Lc. 1, 78

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us. Lc. 1, 78

Our Posada

Here in the USA, several of our sisters are taking part in the virtual Posadas provided by the Ignation Solidarity Network. Each night a family sings from their home followed by a presentation by a migrant telling their story of what forced them to leave their homeland and seek asylum in our country.  We are then invited to reflect in silence before the closing prayer of each days Posada.  This is a very different experience from our usual Posada at the USA/Mexico border wall near the Pacific Ocean.  There we would walk and sing along the border wall with people of all different Christian denominations participating on both sides of the border.  COVID robbed us of this hope-filled experience this year.

As we participate in these ‘safe’ virtual Posadas, I’m conscious of the thousands of migrants, especially Reina and her two children, who have been on a risky ‘Posada’ for over a year…leaving life-threatening experiences in their El Salvador neighborhood, crossing unwelcoming borders, resting in streets and shelters along the way, and recently receiving a 2 week notice to vacate her room in Tijuana. 

Then she began ‘knocking on many doors’ where there was no room for them until Dec. 4 when she and the other migrant mom and her 7 year old son were able to enter their new house in Tijuana.  What a faith-filled Posada spanning many months trusting in a loving God…and still hoping for new life-giving doors to be opened to them.  Now they have beds, not a mattress on the floor and an indoor bathroom.  Their journey with God continues to overcome fear with hope.  We continue to journey with them in prayer, with food and rent, and being awed and humbled by their faith filled WhatsApp messages and conversations.  This is the second Christmas we are sharing with them.  Being part of their journey from when they first arrived in the San Diego shelter and now in Tijuana has been a transforming experience.  Seeing their pain has brought us face to face with the wounded Christ in our midst.  

Knowing their faith has given us new eyes to see the Light penetrating the darkness.  Our JM communities and friends have reached out revealing Hope along the way. Let us be united in prayer with Reina and family, with the many migrants around our world and with the many people extending compassion and Hope to their neighbor.

 Rosie Nicholson, RJM

USA-Haiti Provice