The Cross of God’s “Kindom*”

Growing up as an undocumented immigrant in a predominantly white neighborhood, I felt trapped and privileged at the same time. Trapped because I would always be underpaid under the table for all my overtime and overwork.

Yet, privileged because I was part of the world that was rich and powerful. Now I understand that my sense of privilege was as false as the true reality of my entrapment; there was a great divide I could never conquer as long as I was a poor undocumented immigrant.

Indeed, our true privilege lies in the cross as does our true sense of suffering and passion. It is through the reality of the cross we are privileged to bring about the “kindom*” of God into the world of xenophobia and exploitation of vulnerable immigrants. When all the strands of our lives are etched together, and we fight for justice along with the voiceless immigrants, we create God’s golden kindom* of justice and love. These vibrant strands already exist in the reality of the immigrants; how we bring it out and about is our responsibility as well as the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the world.

The left side of the purple cross is bleak and bound. Just as the soldiers had cast lots for Jesus’ clothes as he was dying on the cross, the unjust world prospers on the bare backs of those who suffer and sacrifice such as our immigrants who are overworked and underpaid. However, we dream of God’s kindom* where the cross is glorified as a symbol that brings together people of all classes and color. Herein lies our true privilege—the privilege to live as just and loving people of God.

Are we involved in the process of transforming the cross of suffering and exploitation into the cross of privilege and justice in the “kindom”* of God?

* A term that defines God’s reign by kinship ties (i.e. relationship of all humans as being kin) rather than an imperial rule.

Related Scripture

Matthew 27:27-31

[Earlier] the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Luke 23:34b

And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

Artwork created by Angela Ryo

Interfaith Worker Justice

Satin and silk ribbons on homemade paper on black foam board