W ZLOBIE LEZY 4.4.7.4.4.7.4.4.4.4.7 (“Infant Holy, Infant Lowly”)
Christ, you spoke to us of children:
“Let the children come to me.
Do not stop them, for the kingdom
Is for little ones like these.”
God, we grieve now as our nation
Fails its moral obligation
To receive the refugees.
Christ, you spoke of God’s intention:
“Do not cause my children harm!”
Yet we place them in detention,
Far from loved ones, scared and worn.
Children, huddled close together,
Grieve for families that are severed;
God of love, what have we done?
Christ, you taught us to give water
And to help the ones who thirst.
Yet in places near the border,
We confess we’ve done our worst.
Those who walk must now walk farther.
We have made their journey harder;
We dump water in the dirt.
God of immigrant and stranger,
God who welcomes those in need,
When your children are in danger,
Will we love them or concede?
May we not seek cheap forgiveness
Till we dare to work for justice—
Till your little ones are freed.
Biblical References: Isaiah 58; Matthew 19:14 18:6;25:31-46; James 2:14-26.
Tune: Polish melody Text: Copyright © 2019 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved.
New Hymns: www.carolynshymns.com
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Download a PDF of this hymn: Christ, You Spoke to Us of Children
A note from Carolyn: There are news stories of refugee children in detention camps caring for even younger children there, and of little ones comforting each other by doing their bedtime prayers together in detention. There are news stories of border patrol agents dumping out lifesaving water stations that have been placed in the desert, of immigrants having to travel further through the desert because of closed border crossings, and of immigrants dying of thirst trying to cross the border. There are news stories of family members drowning, arm in arm, while trying to enter the U.S.
Jesus Christ calls us to love our neighbors and to welcome those in need. There are news stories of people trying to donate toothbrushes and soap to detention centers and being turned away. The Bible calls us to do justice and to love kindness, as we seek to walk humbly with God. May we as the church seek justice for these people who are often fleeing for their lives as they try to enter the U.S.
