10 years ago — October 6, 2008
“The Bible offers a whole spectrum of migration examples … . Migration is frequently portrayed as an act of faith of the people of God. Adam and Eve are forced to migrate as a result of their disobedience. Cain was condemned to migrate and be a foreigner and a wanderer … . Abraham was called to migrate … . The Jews migrated to Egypt looking for economic prosperity and survival. Joseph in Egypt was an immigrant … .” Daniel was an immigrant in Babylon and Esther in Persia. Moses returned to Egypt to lead a great migration. Some of the prophets were political refugees migrating to flee persecution from political and religious powers. Jesus experienced “the painful process of migration. Immediately after his birth his family migrated to Egypt fleeing from Herod’s persecution. During his life, Samaritans criticized him because he was a Jew and Jews criticized him because he was Galilean. His situation was the same experience as immigrants’ today in many areas of the world.“
From “The challenge of migration to the Christian conscience” by Jose Luis Casal
