Jesus tells us, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). That is the love that Jesus has for us, as he laid down his life for the life of the world, and it is the love each of us is called to. It is the love that Alex Pretti modeled in the face of ICE brutalities to his neighbors.
The killing of white US citizens is an expansion of the annihilationist norms within ICE. This heightened threat to safety is an escalation of what so many targeted communities have been experiencing since colonization began, and since the inception of the United States.
How do we begin to recognize that we are all the body of Christ, that those who have always been targeted by Empire are our friends and our family? After 2,000 years of talking about what
Jesus said, are we ready to finally do as he did? To become his followers?
As one faith leader has said, “now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies, to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.” What might it look like for us to move beyond statements, to join our life energy with that of our friends and neighbors?
This moment calls for our courage, for our moral clarity, for truth-telling. It calls for our voices to be raised in a mighty chorus. Though these times are terrifying and it is hard to know exactly what to do, now is the time to begin.
Some first steps:
CALL YOUR SENATORS
- The House has already passed a budget to increase funding for ICE. The bill now goes to the Senate, where a floor vote is expected this week, the week of January 26th. Call your Senators today and every day this week to ask them to block any DHS appropriations bill or Continuing Resolution (CR). The 5 Calls app makes it quick and easy to do so.
JOIN IN PRAYER
- Host a candlelight vigil for your block, inviting neighbors you know. Make space for connection, prayer, grieving, and ways to stay connected to each other and more neighbors.
