One of my favorite Sunday School songs when I was growing
up was “Open
My Eyes.” That was partly
because it was easy to play. At age 9 I was the piano player for my church’s
Sunday School junior department.
Its lilting melody and the allusion to the eyes, ears and
voice also made this hymn ideal. Having sight in just one eye since birth made
eyes very important to me. Hearing music and singing were also high on my list
of favorite things. I was singing solos in church as soon as they could get a
robe on me in the Cherub Choir.
The words and tune to this hymn were written by Clara
Scott (1841-1897) She was a 19th century Midwesterner
who taught music at a Ladies’ Seminary in Lyons, Iowa. Ms. Scott wrote and
published many such hymns before her untimely death in a buggy accident.
According to Dr. C. Michael Hahn, “Scott has not only given
us a list of organs (of the body) through which we may receive and project truth
and love, but she also provides the method in her refrain: ‘Silently now I wait
for thee; ready my God, thy will to see. Open my eyes, (ears and hearts), illumine
me, Spirit divine.’”
When I began serving an all-Deaf congregation in Baltimore
years ago, I quickly learned that talking about the use of ears, voices and
mouths in hymnology did not translate so well for people who did not physically
hear or speak verbally. We substituted
words like “understand and proclaim” in order to be conceptually accurate. However, it is a fact that for all of us, no
matter our physical abilities, the eyes, ears and mouth offer little more than
mere senses without the discernment of the heart and mind. These allusions in
poetry and hymnody actually speak of the deeper sense of spirituality and
response.
Plight
of immigrants in this country
Recently, I have been “seeing” with my eye’s heart the
plight of immigrants in this country. This week our administration halted all
immigration to the United States. Our
country is also excluding all DACA recipients from COVID-19 relief
packages. (DACA recipients are those
young people with only temporary legal status in the United States, who were
brought here as children by their undocumented parents.)
I am seeing that a large number of people on immigration
journeys in this country are doing menial jobs and providing “essential
services” in this country now during the “stay at home orders.” Many are doing
the difficult and dangerous labor of cleaning, preparing and serving for long
hours and getting sick themselves. I see
the injustice here. The hymn is calling
for us to see “glimpses of truth.”
Then there is the concept of “hearing voices of truth.” Recently
I saw a documentary film titled “The Unafraid” which traces the lives and
struggles here in the U.S. of three young adult DACA “Dreamers.” I heard their
voices of pain from not knowing what their future will be.
Our federal government proclaimed an end to the DACA
program; and the U.S. Supreme Court will announce any time now (by June at the
latest) whether it was legal to end this program. Or the court could also say
that they have no standing to rule on this case.
If the program ends this group of about 800,000 young people, who have grown up in our country with no prior knowledge of their birth country, may face the unthinkable specter of deportation or endless years of being processed in our immigration system at best.
If the program ends this group of about 800,000 young people, who have grown up in our country with no prior knowledge of their birth country, may face the unthinkable specter of deportation or endless years of being processed in our immigration system at best.
In this documentary I heard the voices of undocumented
parents who came to this country illegally because of impossible oppression in their
countries of origin. I heard their fear of immigration authorities, their dire
poverty, their inability to get lifesaving health care, their sadness for their
children who face extreme difficulties getting into institutions of higher
education, their difficult and low-wage employment options.
Voices
of truth, compassion, justice
The “voice of truth” of their situation called me to the
“voice of Truth” in the Word of God that in numerous places calls the people of
God to show compassion and justice to immigrants.
Leviticus 18:33-34 says, “When a foreigner resides among
you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must
be treated as your native-born. Love
them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
Similar wisdom is found in Exodus 23:9, Malachi 3:5 and
numerous other places in Scripture. Could the Word of God be any clearer? We often quote Leviticus with great veracity
when dealing with other social justice issues. I wish this one could be seen as
equally worthy of our obedience and creative response.
Then there is the mouth.
“Open my mouth and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere.” The warm truth of salvation through faith in
Christ is our Great Commission. I would
say using your mouth to speak truth about the plight of immigrants is also a
responsibility of the sons and daughters of John Wesley. His movement was based
on personal and social holiness.
Social holiness calls us to work for justice. Wesley fought
against child labor, prison evils, slavery and any place where money and greed
trumped mercy and equality. We can open our mouths by speaking to our lawmakers
and our churches about the plight of people in our country who are literally
starving for food but also dignity and respect.
Finally, this hymn would be complete if it included a verse
about hands. Hands are a symbol for
Christian service. We often call
ourselves “the hands and feet of Christ.”
Our hands can give from our abundance financially to those who are
without the things that are needed for sustenance and good health.
Justice
for Our Neighbors
Our hands can comfort and support those whose immigration
struggles have left them with emotional stress and mental health concerns. Our hands can extend welcome into our
churches’ fellowship and loving embrace neighbors in our communities who do not
look like us.
We can support the UMC immigration services known as “Justice for Our Neighbors,”
which is beginning a new chapter in the Delaware Valley
soon. The possibilities are
endless. Every one of us can do
something.
Open my hands that I
can do acts of compassion, grace and truth.
Give me the wisdom
that’s from above, to give our neighbors Christian love.
Silently now I wait for
Thee, ready my God, thy will to see.
Open my hands and I
will be partners with Thee.
NOTES:
1. Bishop Peggy Johnson is a member of the General Board of Church and Society
(GBCS) and has participated in some of its efforts to address immigration
justice and mercy. She went with GBCS members to the U.S. Southwest border two
years ago and saw first-hand migrant detainees locked in cages. She has talked
with DACA “dreamers” she met through the Rev. Carlos Reyes Rodriguez, a deacon
in the Peninsula- Delaware Conference and GBGM Hispanic Ministries Missionary. He
works with the DACA community and leads his conference’s immigration justice
Rapid Response Team.
2. View an April 22 GBCS panel discussion about
DACA in a webinar that included viewing of film Unafraid.
Bishop Johnson viewed the film and the panel discussion.
3. Here's a few other ways you can take action:
·
Host a
virtual Storysharing event in your conference! Please be in touch with us if your conference is interested in hosting a Virtual Story Sharing event with DACA students.
·
Donate your stimulus
checks to support immigrants.
Many immigrants--documented and undocumented--are excluded from COVID-19
funding, including college student financial aid. Consider the national undocumented worker fund or a local fund organized by your neighborhood immigrant
justice network, such as this one in the D.C. area.
·
Learn about DACA and
educational opportunities in your state with
this College Guide for Undocumented Students.
· Purchase the “The
Unafraid” documentary to
share in your congregation or community.
The U.S. Supreme Court typically announces rulings on Mondays. Here are two recent articles on the DACA case:
- DACA community braces for a Supreme Court ruling, By Regina Day Langhout, Santa Cruz Sentinel Monday, April 27, 2020
- Democrats turn to public opinion as Supreme Court decision looms over DACA, By Rafael Bernal, April 27, 2020
