Many of us take pride in our
family history, with parents or
grandparents who came to this
country with nothing and "made
it" through sweat and sacrifices.
Yet in our success we have be-
come arrogant, denying provi-
dence its due. Too often we deny
or fail to recognize the many
miracles and blessings that led
to our own success. Whether the
subject is affirmative action, wel-
fare reform, or benefits for im-
migrants, we hear ourselves
saying "if we could make it, so
can they..." To use the biblical
metaphor, now that we have our
manna, we fail to recall its di-
vine source.
This is not to diminish the val-
ue of hard work and personal re-
sponsibility. It is okay to take
pride in one's accomplishments
and applaud achievements
earned through dedication and
determination. Taken to its ex-
treme, the idea that our life cir-
cumstances are determined
solely by fate can become an ex-
cuse for inaction and defeatist
attitudes. Nonetheless, even the
greatest of personal achieve-
ments provide opportunities for
gratitude and acknowledgment
of the many gifts we receive, un-
earned.
Sforno was wise to recognize
the true nature of the test —
how will we behave when we
have all we need to thrive in the
wilderness? Will we remain true
to our pledge to follow God's
ways, even when the promised
land is within reach?
As if anticipating the next
question, Moses tells the Is-
raelites what it means to follow
God's ways: "Cut away the thick-
ening about your hearts and
stiffen your necks no more... [for
the Lord] upholds the cause of
the fatherless and the widow,
and befriends the stranger, pro-
viding him with food and cloth-
ing. You too must befriend the
stranger (Ger), for you were
strangers in the land of Egypt."
(Deuteronomy 10:16 19)
Here in our weekly portion we
find the commandment repeat-
ed most often in the Bible. No
less than 36 times we are urged
to care of the Ger, translated as
stranger and understood as the
resident alien, who was free but
without rights or political pow-
er. Over and over we are re-
minded that we, too, have been
strangers in foreign lands, that
we have been vulnerable and at
the mercy of those in power.
Our historical experience gives
us a special responsibility to out-
siders in our own community.
As in ancient days, our posi-
tion and wealth in today's soci-
ety challenge us to remember
the true source of our blessings,
to be thankful for the gifts of our
bounty and to behave with hu-
mility and generosity towards
those less fortunate than our-
selves. ❑

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