Welcoming The 'Other'

Welcoming Newcomers at Christmas

In Encountering 'the Other', Jean Vanier states the following concerning the xenophobia to which none of us is completely immune: 

          We are frightened.  We are frightened of the other, of the one who is different.  

          And why?  Because we are so vulnerable.  Vulnerable to pain, to failure, to

          rejection and to death.  ... This is the history of humanity.  We hide behind walls,

          behind groups, behind culture. (28)

As the first big wave of Syrian refugees arrive in Canada during the lead up to Christmas, I am struck by how accurately Vanier has identified the root causes behind the reluctance some in the media have expressed concerning immigration - with the recent comments by a prominent Republican presidential candidate the most egregious example.

Canada's 'Living Saint' Jean Vanier

 While it is a natural human tendency to be drawn towards those things and people with whom we are most familiar and to shy away from the less familiar, God calls us to a very different response.

Again, it is Jean Vanier, in this little yet powerful book, who makes the point so clearly:

          So Jesus [in Luke 14] is asking us to come up from behind the walls of our

          group and open our hearts to those who have been marginalised because of

          their poverty, because of their handicaps, and become their friend.  In the

          heart of Christ there is a yearning to bring people together to meet as friends.

          (13)

Indeed, the Gospel reading for the 3rd Sunday of Advent reinforces this message.  When John the Baptist was asked by the crowd "What should we do?", the prophet replied, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone [italics mine) who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." (Luke 3:10-11)  

Pope Francis has called all people of good will to social action.  In his September 6, 2015 weekly address outside St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father stated, "Faced with the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees who are fleeing death by war and by hunger, and who are on the path toward hope for life, the Gospel calls us to be neighbours to the smallest and most abandoned, to give them concrete hope."

At the start of the current school year, I was heartened to hear that the Al Dabei family, which was sponsored by St. Basil's Parish, had chosen to register 2 of their children at Our Lady of Fatima School.  By all accounts, the children are doing well at this wonderfully accepting and inclusive school community.  The family was recently featured on CTV Ottawa News:

Ottawa.ctvnews.ca/syrian-family

The Al Dabei Family

I am also proud of the response of the Ottawa Catholic School Board to the Syrian refugee situation. On Monday, December 14, there was a Board Fundraising Day in all schools and at the Catholic Education Centre with proceeds benefiting the various settlement agencies, parishes, and other partners doing God's work to support the refugees.

As well, on the evening of Thursday, December 17, the OCSB is hosting, in the Boardroom of the Catholic Education Centre, a special information night for individuals and groups sponsoring refugee families.  All are welcome.

  

During this Advent season, as we wait in hope for the coming of Jesus, let us all open our hearts (and our wallets) to our Syrian brothers and sisters and all others in need.

As Deacon Paul Coderre of Holy Redeemer Parish in Kanata so eloquently and succinctly said in his homily of December 13:

          Joy is spelled J - O - Y.  We can achieve true joy if we remember the letters as
          follows: J equals Jesus; O equals Others; Y equals Yourself;  So what should we
          do?  Put Jesus first, and then put others before ourselves.  In this way, we can
          truly prepare for Christmas in a way that brings joy and is pleasing to God.