Palm Sunday Reflection on Immigrants and Immigration Reform

Episcopal City Mission recently awarded a grant to the Massachusetts Council of Churches(MCC) for their advocacy work on issues relating to immigrants and immigration policy. A strong partner to ECM, MCC and its' membership are a key ally in our work to raise awareness about the rights of undocumented citizens of Massachusetts and the United States.

Laura Everett, Associate Director of the Mass Council recently preached the following sermon at Kings Chapel on Palm Sunday, April 10, 2011:

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord to these dry bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinew on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: ‘Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.”

Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God; I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”

Reverend Clergy, dear members of King’s Chapel, visitors and wanderers, it is a joy to be with you this morning. I bring you blessings and greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Massachusetts Council of Churches is made up of 17 different protestant and orthodox denominations including the Council of Christians Churches within the Unitarian Universalist Association. For your support through the Council and through this congregation directly, thank you for your prayers, your time and your commitment... (for the full sermon visit click here)