Las Posadas Navideñas is a Mexican religious tradition that commemorates Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and their struggle to find refuge there. For nine nights (a novena), from December 16-24, neighbors recreate the events described in the Gospels, as Mary and Joseph were denied shelter by many, until one innkeeper at last allowed them to sleep in his barn—and there, Jesus was born. The novena culminates with a celebration that echoes the rejoicing of the shepherds and angels at the birth of the Christ Child.
The AMSSND Immigration Committee invites you to participate in solidarity by praying a novena that we hope will open our hearts to welcoming Christ. While we might be far removed from the Bethlehem of 2000 years ago, Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that when we encounter strangers, we encounter him: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Thus, we are graced with the presence of Christ in a very real way by immigrants who come to our shores seeking refuge and a better life. In accord with the “inextricable connection” of the SSNDs to the immigrant experience, as affirmed by the AMSSND Corporate Stance on Immigration, join us in praying this novena in solidarity with migrants and refugees.
