Remember the Poor

Remember the poor. 

I know, I know, it’s hard!

But it's one of Jesus main messages; he was born poor, lived among the poor, and constantly advocated for them. 

And so I found myself at yet another Wednesday prayer vigil outside the ICE office in Southfield asking the landlord and immigration enforcement to do the same thing: Remember the poor.

Let's face it, these ICE arrests and raids are not being made in the leafy suburbs, but in the poor areas of town; we are antagonizing the very people Jesus told us to advocate for. 

Meanwhile, the wealthy - we're quick to grant them tax breaks, they get pricey lawyers, are friends with the judges, and enjoy favored societal status, look who's on celebrity magazine covers?

In this Sunday's gospel, Jesus will say, “ If you love me, you'll do what I say, and time and time again,” from The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, to the vision of the great judgment in chapter 25, Jesus made it clear that advocating for the poor is what's being commanded. 

I know it's not popular, convenient, comfortable, and sometimes even safe, but it's what Jesus did: remember the poor. 

How can I do the same?