Grief & Bewilderment – Paris, Syria and the Refugee Crisis, Part 2

"In times like this, fear is real. And I share that fear with you. Our instinct tells us to be afraid. The fight-or-flight mentality takes hold. At the present moment, many across our Church and our world are grasped by fear in response to the terrorist attacks that unfolded in Paris last Friday. These fears are not unfounded. We can and should support law enforcement officials who are working hard and at great risk to protect us from crime and keep us safe. And yet, especially when we feel legitimate fear, our faith reminds us 'Be not afraid.' The larger truth is that our ultimate security comes from God in Christ." - Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry, Statement on the Syrian Refugee Crisis

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rome,
home of the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center

On the Sunday just over one week after the attacks, I was walking past the Spanish Steps, returning from the early morning mass at All Saints’ Anglican Church. All of a sudden, as I passed the crowded tourist location surrounded conspicuously by all types of police and security personnel, I was gripped by such a strong sense of fear and paranoia that it made me physically ill. I had unsuspectingly convinced myself that terrorists were out to attack outposts in Rome next, and that the Sunday mass at St. Paul’s would surely be their next target. As the 10:30 service began, I was so queasy I could barely sit in place, and I was so nervous that I looked backwards at the door every few minutes to see who was coming in. I prayed silently for safety, and for comfort, and I made some kind of internal peace with God – Heaven forbid if something awful were to happen, I suppose I could at least be happy with the life I’ve lived so far.

Just at the moment when my own trepidation reached a climax, at the Prayers of the People, two Africans walked into the church through the main door behind me. As it happened, the two men were from Mali, the North African country where 120 people had been kidnapped and twenty were killed by terrorists from Boko Haram earlier that week.

The two men were Maiga, our faithful sexton (who helps with the service every week) and Adama, one of two “peacekeepers” at the Refugee Center who helps to keep everyone comfortable and well respected. At that moment, a great feeling of comfort and relief washed over me, although a bit of nervousness still remained. But something just felt wonderfully right about seeing these two men of strong Islamic faith whom I both deeply admire, who have chosen to serve this American Christian community in peace and love. (Soon I will be visiting Maiga’s and Adama’s mosque as their guest, in part to thank them for all that they do for me and for St. Paul’s.)

Maiga (right) and Adama (left) pose inside St. Paul's Church

As I approached the Communion rail that Sunday morning, I was reminded that the reconciling power of God is unbound by constructs of nationality or religious affiliation for which countless wars have been fought. Our God – the God who loves ALL of us equally, breaks down every wall and border we foolishly seek to erect.

Now just more than two weeks after that horrible day, I have been continually distraught, not simply by the horrors of terrorism itself, but by the abysmal reaction by my compatriots and political representatives in the United States. As a former Congressional aide, I have watched with grief and bewilderment as governor after governor and citizen after citizen have caved to the fear, xenophobia, Islamophobia and downright racism that has laid claim to so much of my beloved homeland. When the House of Representatives voted to dramatically complicate the process of legally admitting Syrian refugees, I wrote personally to more than fifty members of Congress urging them to change course.

If just more than two months of service at the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center (and many years of experience beforehand) have taught me anything, it’s that Muslims and refugees are among the most generous, loving, caring and intelligent people I have ever met. If I could, I would without reservation offer my own home to any of them and I would be overwhelmed with pride to call any of them my fellow American citizen.

Sign outside the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center

Dear Friends, pray with me for peace in every land under Heaven. And do not stop there, but work feverishly for justice and peace everywhere. Be Not Afraid. And remember the words that our patron St. Paul wrote to his church in this very city of Rome:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. ROMANS 12:17-21