Natural arbor on the Eugene Ridgeline Spencer Butte trail in early summer (2025)

Approx. read time: 2:40 min.

The temperature climbs as I approach the side entrance to the downtown Catholic church. It’s noon. It’s summer. It’s hot.

Monthly, now, I attend the Sunday Spanish Mass. I don’t speak Spanish, but at least I can show up to express solidarity with this targeted community.

The street-facing front doors of the church are locked: one less entrance to monitor. A man from the parish, stationed outside as people gather, nods, smiles, notices. He’s got his eye on the situation.

Folks arrive with a sense of purpose and joy, while I pause to scan the parking lot for signs of ICE. As the service begins I notice everyone’s robust engagement in worship. At the greeting of peace, folks around me—from children to elders—all reach out to shake my hand.

The whole experience is beautiful.

Still, I mentally rehearse the imagined situation of ICE agents showing up at the end, when people are feeling spiritually, emotionally, maybe even physically safe.

I’m witnessing what faith looks like: living freely inside your spiritual, cultural, physical identity, targeted though that identity may be. Jesus knew this particular kind of freedom.

On my way home I get the idea to send a postcard to my local ICE office. I’m not really sure what I want to say, so I put pen to paper and let the Spirit move. Here’s what flows:

Dear Eugene ICE Agents: 

Please know that my heart goes out to you as you carry out the difficult work of immigration enforcement in our community. 

Not because resistance to your mission is so great, but because you are required to push so hard against the sacredness of your own humanity.

I yearn for you the freedom to show your faces, the natural goodness in the smile, in the eyes, in the relaxed and welcoming stance. 

I yearn for the day, the moment, when you make the consequential choice to strip away the armor, reclaim your true humanity, and do useful things in this world with your one precious life. … Respectfully,

I can never predict what will happen when I give the Spirit “absolute freedom to be at work in my life,” which is what I pray daily. It’s a beautiful prayer. I urge you to try it.

So, here’s the question: With whom, or what, do you show solidarity? Send me your comments.

Be well. Live in peace. Love one another.