On this feast day of the Holy Family, we hear the gospel account of the flight to Egypt by Joseph, Mary and Jesus. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take his family to Egypt to protect Jesus. King Herod was trying to kill Jesus and Joseph was protecting his family from harm.

We don’t have a lot of details about the Holy Family’s time in Egypt, but Joseph was a craftsman, a carpenter by trade, so he was able to provide for his family. He was a stranger in a strange land, trying his best to protect his family and use the gifts that God had given him to provide for his family and contribute to the common good of the new place where they lived.

In many ways their story sounds like the story of many refugees today. Good men and women, good mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, grandmothers and grandfathers, friends and relatives who are trying to make a better life for the ones they love. People just like you and I except that they are trying to escape, poverty, misery, gangs, war and political instability. 

One person trying to make a difference in the lives of refugees at the Texas border is Sr. Norma Pimentel. Sister Norma works for Catholic Charities and is the director of the  Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas. People of all ages come through her doors, the young and the old, many of whom have walked for 30 days or more to get there. They desperately grasp entry documents; some left with nothing else - no backpacks, purses, or change of clothes. At the Respite center, refugees and migrants are welcomed and given the basics: a meal, a change of clothes, and a shower kit. And just as importantly, they are welcomed with smiles, open arms, and caring hearts by the volunteers.

No matter what your political viewpoint, we are all called to care for each other. To respect the dignity of each person. Catholic Charities cannot do this overwhelming job without help. They need us to step up and do our part as well.  The most desperate need is at the border. If you are interested in helping, the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen would greatly benefit from your generosity. Here’s a link to the donation page and an Amazon wish list. It is far more efficient to ship items directly to them from their wish list as Sr. Norma updates the needs on the wish list regularly.    https://www.catholiccharitiesrgv.org/Donations.aspx

"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in..." Matthew 25:35

Thank you and God Bless!