Reflections 

“A Prayer for People on the Move”

Jesus was always on the move, too,

Stirring up dust on the roads, swaying to the swells of the sea.

I like to picture how far the wind has blown since then,

Across these thousands of years and millions of miles,

Carrying the dirt he tread upon all around the globe,

Whisking the waves he sailed in to every corner of the world.

Migrants and refugees who seek new work, new homes

Carry with them, perhaps, a grain of sand that Jesus touched,

A drop of water that held him aloft.

But they carry much more than that—

One cannot gaze upon them without seeing

Millions of perfect permutations of the image of God.

By land or by sea, every journey is a sacred one.

Holy the hush of feet across the desert,

Blessed the boats that traverse the oceans.

Jesus, they say, had no home, no place to rest his head.

May these precious ones find rest, find welcome,

Find mercy on our shores.

Amen.”

Written by Cameron Bellm

The 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees is celebrated on September 28th, but the date was moved to October 4 and 5, 2025, to coincide with the Jubilee of Migrants and Missions. The theme for this year is "Migrants, Missionaries of Hope," as chosen by Pope Leo XIV to encourage recognition of the resilience of migrants and refugees and promote solidarity with them.