A SEASON OF DEEPENING SOLIDARITY
Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty, but judge your fellow men justly. You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake. -Leviticus 19:15
Today’s readings speak so much about caring for our neighbors, and I can’t help but think of all that has been happening particularly in Ukraine. To see a country being attacked, and the immense suffering that it has created has led me to tears daily. While I am not Ukrainian, the crisis impacts me in ways that I myself do not completely understand. When the announcement was made that the country was opening up International Territorial Defense - meaning people could come from abroad to help - I spent time looking into costs of flights, travel path, renewing my passport, and so forth. I was ready to hop on a plane within a few days and be there for a week, perhaps longer. Sure, it would have sounded crazy to most people close to me, but the desire that it stirred up in me felt unmistakable.
It has led me to reflect further on how I respond in the face of such immense injustice, death, and suffering? What help really would I be able to provide? Additionally, was the help I was looking to provide more about me, or them? These and many other questions arose, and allowing the space for them to surface and float would eventually bring clarity. I can still help where I am, in ways that utilize the resources and talents that I have. I am now working on developing a national project with Ukrainian Americans to support their homeland. I don’t know what or if it will make enough of an impact, but I am going to at least try.
In the midst of all this brokenness and mess, somehow Jesus’ presence feels so strong. He is here in all of it, and it is Him I am most reminded to lean on, trust in, walk with as everything continues to unfold.
Jesus, help me to see my neighbor in any circumstance for who he or she is - your beloved, my brother and sister. Even when it may seem inconvenient for me, may I be reminded of the greater invitation to more deeply encounter you in connecting with them in their journey.
Quyen Nhi Ngo
Photo credit: Andrej Ivanov / AFP Via Getty Images