From today’s Scripture: “Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and be no longer stiff-necked. For the LORD, your God, is the God of gods, the LORD of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who has no favorites, accepts no bribes; who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him. So you too must befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.” —Dt 10:16-19

The Lord calls his people to care for the widow and orphan and to befriend the alien. All of these titles depict need. Children who are alone. Mothers in desperate need. The title “alien” here is perhaps the most stirring. What do the Scriptures mean by alien? I think it implies otherness, something foreign to us, something that because of its mystery we might respond in fear toward.

What are we to do when we experience this? The answer, as modeled by the Lord, is to befriend, to show love and care, not simply because God says so—although that should be reason enough—but because God first loved us. Let us go and do likewise.

Let us pray: Lord, friend of aliens and sustainer of the needy, may we always see our neediness before you and, by your Spirit, help us to love the alien and the needy within our midsts, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s author is Nathan Smith, the director of ecumenism for Glenmary and field representative for the U.S. Catholic bishops.

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