Pastor Jason McKnight: The Statue of Liberty and the Silhouette of the Cross
On July 4th, 2015, some 239 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, I personally took the oath of naturalization. I was born and raised in Canada, I’d moved to the US in 1999 for grad school.
In a simple ceremony at Harmony Hall, I pledged allegiance to a new flag. Some 25 people from 20 different countries joined me in formally & permanently making our home here. We committed ourselves to protect and defend, to build up and fill out this new home. We embraced a vision of justice, liberty and opportunity that is the envy of the world.
I was about 15 years old when I first visited the Statue of Liberty in New York’s harbor. Many times I’ve envisioned crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a steamer… in 1890 or 1904 or 1920… longing for the trip to end (no more sea sickness in steerage!). Eagerly anticipating what this new life might be.
I love the poem Emma Lazarus wrote about the Statue of Liberty: “‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ cries she / With silent lips. ‘Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. / Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, / I lift my lamp beside the golden door!’”
Since 1888, she has stood beside the golden door. She has been the gateway to opportunity, freedom, justice and hope for countless immigrants and their descendants. It’s the promise of descendants and a more prosperous future that is the unique American hope among countries today.
Ours is a country of immigrants, save for the Native Americans. Each of us has a provenance of England, Nigeria, Vietnam, Germany, Mexico, Sierra Leone or China. Each of us has roots and a heritage somewhere else. That’s the glory of America. The “golden door” was built by the poor, tired, huddled masses who yearn to breathe free.
America was not built by the successful people of the “home-countries”. If you were a wealthy German, why leave Germany? If you had a successful life in Vietnam, why move? Rather, America is built on the industriousness, thrift, energy and creativity of the poor, tired, huddled masses from other lands. America thrives because it’s not only the “best and brightest” who can flourish here. This country unlocks potential of all the masses who are given an opportunity to thrive.
This is one reason that I think we need to encourage legal immigration for the industrious, family-loving, hard-working immigrants who cross our southern border seeking a better life. The border has been secured and ought always to have been secured. But, along with a proper wall, we should plant a second Statue of Liberty on the Rio Grande and figure out how to help the poor, tired, huddled masses from Latin America step legally into the same promise and potential as the poor Poles, and tired Italians, and huddled Scottish who flocked here a century ago.
For over half of our country’s lifespan, Lady Liberty has invited the poor and huddled masses to enjoy the blessings of America. A beacon to the world.
Do you see the echo of the gospel here? Jesus never once said, “get yourself good enough, clean enough, pure enough and then you can enter the Kingdom of God.” Rather, he said, “bring me your poor, tired, huddled sinners, and I’ll build for you a new life. Will you trust me to step onto my boat, and will you trust me to take you to a new life? I’ll do it.”
As great as it must have been to see the silhouette of the Statue of Liberty from your steamer entering the harbor, it’s far greater to see the outline of the Cross over our lives and future. True and lasting liberty in the Lamb of God, bestowed on us by a loving, gracious Father.
