I was particularly moved by the homily given at Christmas morning Mass about “holy moments,” and how each of us can provide a powerful kindness to another person in need.

Just the week before, my granddaughter mentioned a children’s Christmas story book she had been given years ago, and it was such a sad story about a little girl. I said, “I think it was “The Little Match Girl!” For some reason, I had been thinking about that story too. How easy it would have been for someone to have seen that cold and hungry little match girl and provided her a “holy moment,” buying a few of her matches.

The sadness of this story came into sharp relief thinking about the Christmas Eve stunt Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pulled, sending three busloads of migrants to Washington, D.C., where the migrants, including children, were dumped off in the bitter freezing cold without adequate clothing or shoes.

Shocked into action by this cruel Christmas Eve stunt were volunteers who provided “holy moments” of shelter, clothing, and food to these fellow human beings.

Perhaps some people applaud Gov. Abbott, as well as Govs. DeSantis and Ducey, for “owning the libs” by mistreating migrants. I would urge these folks to take few minutes to first read the Hans Christian Andersen tale of The Little Match Girl and absorb the moral of the tale, and then read the Dec. 22 article in the News-Press headlined “Forced to Flee.” Perhaps it may prompt some “holy moments” of support for rational, comprehensive, and long-overdue immigration reforms. 

Marilyn Beem

Castle Rock