From the Border to the House

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.John 12:20-26

This was the last day of our visit to the border. We came together one final time with those who had lead us through this journey to reflect on our experience. In a very tender and stunning moment, Pastor Mark Adams presented the Presiding Bishop with three white wooden crosses from our vigil with the names of those who have died crossing the border. We were then each invited to take a cross along with us to remind us of this brief time of life on the border and the complexity of the issues that surround the politics of the day. We were also asked to pray daily for who have died and their families and communities. As we traveled from Douglas to Phoenix I had time to ponder these crosses I carry and wonder what God is calling me and the church to do in the coming days. As I considered the present climate, a world that is border crazy, wall building, alien adverse, and sees terror everywhere, I wonder how we move beyond the institutions to relationships. How do we put people and lives first and profit last. How dowe really serve Christ in this present time?

As the House of Bishops begins, the crosses I carry will be my roommates for the week. I pray that they will speak the stories of the lives and passions of these beloved ones who were lost. I pray that God will break open hearts and minds so that we might, as individuals and the church, hate the life of this world and gain the reign of God.