Sons and Daughters of a Pilgrim. Towards a Theology of Migrations

Abstract

El contexto de la realidad migratoria y de refugio a nivel mundial, en tanto que signo de los tiempos , no puede quedar al margen de la reflexión teológica. Surge desde esta necesidad la Teología de las migraciones, una disciplina nueva que enraíza con la tradición bíblica y el magisterio. Es a partir de esta mirada profunda que el autor nos plantea las cinco encrucijadas más importantes para el momento actual: la de la identidad, la de la dignidad, la de la justicia, la de la hospitalidad y la de la integralidad.

The reality of migration, as a sign of the times, needs to be approached in depth through theological reflection. The Theology of Migration is a discipline that has become an issue in theological reflection over the last decades, but finds its roots in the origins and comprehension of the People of God and, in a sense, in the dawn of mankind. This pilgrimage permeates the Holy Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church.

The Bible is recognized as a moving reality with migratory experiences, exile, shelter and hospitality, all of which are inserted in the founding experience of God's chosen people: My father was a wandering Aramaean (Dt 26,5). In the same way, the New Testament, where Jesus presents himself as a migrant, puts the accent on acceptance and fraternity, universalism and an apostolic life in motion that crosses borders.

During the first centuries, Patristic tradition began a theological reflection on acceptance and Christian hospitality amongst other topics. Initially, various Apostolic Fathers and, later, Apologist Fathers reflected on migrations from different points of view: the Epistle to Diognetus, Clement of Rome, Didache, Origins, Lactantius, Basil, Aristides, John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nissa and Ambrose of Milan. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. (Epistle to Diognetus 5, 1.5)

In the same way, the Magisterium of the Catholic Church focuses on the reality of migration, but it is not until the nineteenth century that it is treated in a special way. From Leo XIII to Pope Francis, son of a migrant family, the Magisterium of the Church has accompanied reality with pain and suffering but has also presented the richness and hope that migrants provide. The centrality of migrants in Pope Francis' magisterium is significant.

The actual situation of migration and refuge at a global level along with the call to take a closer look to this reality puts us at a crossroads about identity, dignity, justice, hospitality and integrality.

Who is my family? How has God created us? When did we see you a stranger and made you welcome? Who does Jesus share table with? Is everything connected? All these questions continue challenging and encouraging our way of understanding and approaching the migratory reality.