Before I became a priest, before there was a ministry, before I ever imagined a life spent preaching the Gospel, I was simply someone who loved music.
I played violin all the way through undergrad.
I studied music theory.
I sang in choirs, blended into harmonies, and even found myself onstage in a musical or two.
It was never meant to be my profession, just something that lived close to my heart.
I don’t talk about that much, mostly because life took me down a different road. And yet, the music never truly left me.
So today I want to share something new, something born at the intersection of prayer, Scripture, justice, and that old love of song:
I wrote a worship song.
And it’s about immigrants.
And while maybe I wouldn’t have been able to produce it all on my own the old fashioned way, the magic of AI helped me to take the song that was in my head and bring it into reality. The Lyrics and the Tune are all mine, but AI brought it to life.
What Jesus Actually Said
There are few teachings of Jesus more disarmingly clear than this:
“I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.”
Matthew 25:35
He doesn’t leave us much to debate.
He doesn’t say:
“I was a stranger, and you asked if I spoke English.”
“I was a stranger, and you demanded I come legally.”
“I was a stranger, and you did a background check first.”
Jesus identifies Himself directly with the immigrant and the stranger, saying:
How you treat them… is how you treat me.
It does not get more Christian than that.
We Were Strangers Once Too
Scripture keeps pressing this truth on us:
“You shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
Leviticus 19:34
God does not ask us to welcome the stranger because it’s nice.
God asks us to welcome them because we remember what it feels like to be vulnerable.
That memory is supposed to make us merciful.
A Song For the Ones God Loves
I’ve accompanied immigrants and refugees.
I’ve heard their fears.
Their prayers.
Their exhaustion.
Their courage.
And I’ve watched Christians forget that the Gospel belongs to them, too.
So I sat down, prayed, and let the music return… in a new way.
This song is for:
The ones who have crossed borders to survive
The ones waiting for a knock at the door
And the ones who have forgotten that love has no nation and no wall
You’ll Find it Above
Why This Matters
If our faith does not lead us to mercy,
we have substituted something else for the Gospel.
If we cannot welcome the immigrant,
we are unable to welcome Christ.
And if Christianity has become a story of fear, nationalism, and exclusion,
then it has wandered far from the Jesus who was Himself a refugee child.
Please leave me your feedback!
I would truly love to hear what you think. Does this song move you? Challenge you? Encourage you? Does it give voice to something you’ve felt but haven’t known how to say? Your reflections matter more than you know. Feel free to comment, reply, or share your own stories of welcome, struggle, or grace. This ministry has always been a conversation, not a broadcast, and I would be honored to learn from your heart.
A Parting Word…
This ministry exists because some of us still believe
that Christianity is meant to look like Jesus.
If this message resonates and you want to help me keep creating music, prayers, reflections, and spiritual resources grounded in love, mercy, and truth:
You can become a paid subscriber for as little as $10/month.
Paid subscribers receive:
• Full digital library access
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Your support makes this work possible.
And it keeps the Gospel where it belongs: among the least of these.
With love and gratitude,
Fr. Rich V
Message from the Margins
“Love is the only Christian homeland.”