Kelly Brown Douglas: The Disappeared and Good Friday

Canon Theologian Kelly Brown Douglas draws some uncomfortable parallels between the Jesus of Good Friday and the "disappeared" migrants of our own time.

Writing with Episcopal Bishop Matthew Heyd for Religion News Service, Kelly says the same forces that wanted to silence Jesus also want to make migrants — legal and otherwise — disappear:

[Kilmar Abrego Garcia is] “one of hundreds of migrants “disappeared” through deportation in the last two months as federal agents invade neighborhoods, lurk outside food pantries and separate parents from young children.

Rome’s imperial agents wanted Jesus to be “disappeared.” The Romans who governed Judea attempted to silence Jesus and frighten his followers into submission. Crucifixion was a public spectacle of oppression. Fear was the point.

….

On this Good Friday, we remember Kilmar Abrego Garcia and all those under threat in our prayers. Jesus’ death serves as a divine act of redemption for our collective salvation.  The solidarity that Jesus offered on the cross long ago calls us to stand up to oppression today. We can’t be disappeared. Fear doesn’t win.