Day 216: Who Do We Count?

DAY 216

Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic    

A series of daily reflections for people of faith

by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland

pastorrobert@paxpres.org

Week Thirty-one    Friday 16 October 2020

Who Do We Count?

“The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus was born during a census. God came to earth not only in a manger; God came to earth during the season of counting … . The Book of Numbers gets its name from the census God orders Moses to take … a census that did not include women and children. The first purpose of the census was to determine battle readiness … . Numbers are in the news now more than ever, thanks to the 2020 census – and the contention around the data it collects.” - From an article by the same name in the current issue of a Christian magazine.

“Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included in this Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding  to the whole number of free persons, … excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years …” - Article 1, Section 2, of the United States Constitution.

The census in which we have been engaged during 2020 has its roots in antiquity, and a disparity in the value of persons being counted has as well. In Numbers, only men were counted; in the Constitution, Indians “not taxed” didn’t count, and “all other persons” counted as only three-fifths of a whole person – slaves. And today? A contentious partisan debate has centered around whether or not to count the undocumented in our midst. Do they live here? What does God say?  

“The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:34. Xenophobia is native to the human species, a fear (phobia) of the stranger or foreigner (xenos), a betrayal of our own inner brokenness and insecurity. Fear marks the undocumented as well, fear of deportation if counted, fear of separation from American-born citizen children. May God give us politicians who will wisely utilize this census, this counting of people, to focus on just that - people -  especially in this time of a pandemic that is non-partisan in those it attacks.

Reflective question: Informed by your faith, who do you think should be included in the census? Why?

Reflective Scripture: Psalm 146:9 – “The Lord watches over the foreigner …”

Reflective hymn:

“Abraham Journeyed to a New Country” – Carolyn Gillete (1961-    )

To the tune of “Morning has Broken”

God, our own families came here from far lands;

we have been strangers, “aliens” too.

May we reach out and offer a welcome,

as we have all been welcomed by you.