I Was a Stranger… by Sr. Ursula Herrera, OSB
Several years ago, I came to Eagle Pass which was a medically underserved area. At that time, it was a tiny town across from Piedras Negras. Medical personnel from both areas worked together to keep both communities healthy and safe. Health Fairs were held on both sides of the border. If we were to eradicate illness in the U.S., we had to work with Piedras Negras to eradicate it in Mexico.
After working together for many years, the powers that be decided we had to build a fence between Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras to protect our border. Our southern border neighbors were hurt because of the fence and the number of folks who used to come shopping in Eagle Pass decreased. Several of our downtown shops closed. This became worse during Covid-19 when our border was closed to unnecessary travel.
Covid-19 really affected our communities greatly but now I can see, after twenty-eight years of serving in ministry here, we are at a new crossroads. Our border town looks like a war zone. We have buoys in the river and metal containers line the river’s edge with concertina wire on top of them. Border patrol, National Guards and Police officers walk and drive up and down our Texas/Mexico border.
I feel God would be very disappointed with us today. Instead of welcoming our neighbors from the south, we are doing our best to keep them out. When immigrants attempt to reach our shores, they are instructed to return where they came from. Our current President said he would start mass deportations and that is exactly what is happening. People are being deported and many folks who have lived in the USA for several years are in fear of being deported. Families are in fear of being separated. There is no easy solution. People have been a part of the USA for years. They work here, shop here, go to school and church here, and they pay taxes. Their home is here. They are a part of the community they live in. The children know only the USA as home.
St. Benedict wrote a guide for living in the 6th century. He took to heart Jesus’ admonition, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). In his monastery, he proceeded to have a monk by the doorway specifically to welcome everyone as Christ. In our day, as Christians and as Benedictines, we can do no less.