God entrusted us with the task of taking care of the world. Now we have the responsibility to take care of it and protect it, including all the people who are part of this creation. The protection of human dignity is the focus of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Refugee Center in El Paso, TX. It was established by Franciscan friar, Father Jarek Wysoczanki, and a group of local volunteers.
At the entrance of our Refugee Center in Casa Zibi, Jessica and Ana Guerrero painted a mural that reflects the beauty of the lands left by our guests, who come from more than 26 countries. In addition, the mural expresses our love for creation and, at the same time, our concern for the deterioration of the earth. As Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si!” reminds us (n. 63): “The land, our house, is beginning to suffer the effects of a progressive deterioration,” causing the abandonment and forced flight of so many refugees.
God is the creator of all reality, and we must take care of both the “visible and invisible.” As the Nicene Creed proclaims, we believe in “one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” This foundational truth calls us to honor God’s creation not only through care for the earth but also in the way we uphold the dignity of every human being, made in His image. In this sense, the painting in our Center, of a bus full of immigrants with María, José and Jesús dressed as refugees, has a profound impact. It reminds us that God incarnates and becomes present in the face of each of our brothers and sisters who come to our Center. We are all brothers and sisters, connected to each other. This is the incarnation: the body of Christ present in each of us.
The Christian message, centered on the incarnation of the Son of God, is an invitation to rediscover the Christian life as a true joy. As “Evangelii Gaudium” says (n. 176): “The news that God became man is the great news that fills the whole world with joy.” This joy is not only a superficial emotion, but a deep state of knowing that God is with us, in our daily life (“Evangelii Gaudium,” n. 178). At the Refugee Center, we live this joy through the testimonies of the refugees, when they share: “This was my first quiet and serene night… thank you,” or they appreciate the love and peace that are experienced here. The Incarnation is a mystery of love and closeness, but also the foundation of our Christian hope, since God became man to save us.
At Zibi House we find another mural with many painted faces, representing the vision of “Fratelli Tutti.” This painting expresses the desire to create a global brotherhood and a dignified life, based on human unity, love and solidarity. Our Sagrada Familia Refugee Center is a place to offer Christian hope to all humanity, a space where everyone can experience welcoming hospitality and God’s love.
The phrase, “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come,” not only refers to a distant longing, but invites us to live the present with hope, justice and love, according to the values of the Kingdom of God. From the peripheries of the United States, on the border with México, we try to, “incarnate,” to live a life of service in the style of St. Francis of Assisi, with a radical commitment to those most in need.
Following Christ implies welcoming others, especially the most vulnerable. Through the services provided by the Sagrada Familia Refugee Center, we make this a reality every day, showing that the incarnation is lived through love and service to others. Those oppressed by poverty, the immigrants, are the object of our preferential love in our center.
