World Refugee Day

She bore him a son, and Moses called him Gershom, 'because,' he said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land.'--Exodus 2:22

In the third year, in the tithe-year, when you have finished taking the tithe of your produce and have given it to the Levites and to the aliens, the fatherless, and the widows, so that they may eat it in your settlements and be well fed, then declare before the Lord your God: 'I have rid my house of the tithe that was holy to you and given it to the Levites, to the aliens, the fatherless, and the widows; according to all the commandments which you laid on me. I have not eaten any of the tithe while in mourning, nor have I got rid of any of it while unclean, nor offered any to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God, doing all that you have commanded me. Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the soil which you have given to us as you promised on oath to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.'--Exodus 26:12-15

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'

Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'

And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'

Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'

And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."--Matthew 25:31-46

We are all strangers and wanderers upon the earth. And God is with us all; and God is with the refugees.

May those without shelter be under your guarding this day, O Christ.
May the wandering find places of welcome.
O son of the tears of the wounds of the piercings,
May your cross this day be shielding them.