IFTTT Autopost 
Every year, on the last Sunday of September, Catholic Christians celebrate World Day of Migrants & Refugees (WDMR). 2023 marks the 109th celebration of this special day, and its theme for this year is: “Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay.”
The theme has its roots in the New Testament story of a young family, the Holy Family, who did not really have much “freedom” in leaving their homeland. Pope Francis notes: “An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him” (Mt 2:13). The flight of the Holy Family into Egypt was not the result of a free decision, nor were many of the migrations that marked the history of the people of Israel. The decision to migrate should always be free, yet in many cases, even in our day, it is not. Conflicts, natural disasters, or more simply the impossibility of living a dignified and prosperous life in one’s native land is forcing millions of persons to leave.
Pope Francis notes that even though many individuals and families feel compelled to leave because of wars, natural disasters, or to provide for their families, there should always be communities “…ready to welcome, protect, promote and integrate everyone, without distinctions and without excluding anyone.”
That is a very tall order, especially in our polarized times. But, Catholic Christians have had challenges throughout their 2,100-year history, so hopefully we’ve grown in wisdom, love, and compassion.
