What about those of no fixed abode?

"There will be one regulation for you, whether a resident foreigner or a native citizen, for I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 24. 22

The other day I was overhearing the rant of a well-known journalist on the internet. He was lambasting those who were chafing at the government's isolation policy and evoking the spirit of war-time Britain, "when all you are being asked to do is stay in and watch telly!"

Of course it's not as straightforward as that and many will struggle with loneliness and depression, while others will have worries about obtaining essentials like food and medication. I was alerted to another dimension of the problem yesterday, on receiving an email from the Scottish Refugee Council, drawing attention to the plight of refugees and, in particular, those who are stranded in the camps around Calais. They are still being harassed by the authorities, they have nowhere to go and what little support they enjoyed from volunteers has all but evaporated on account of the lockdown.

The Bible verse above challenges us that refugees should enjoy the same legal guarantees as citizens. If we ignore their cries, how can we expect our own needs to be met and, crucially, how shall we explain ourselves to God?

On their website, the SRC has a template letter which you can send to your MP. (To be honest it's not well written and I had to do a lot of editing it before I was prepared to put my name to it. But that's a minor inconvenience and should not put anyone off.)

Merciful God,

Help us all to appreciate what we've got so that,

rather then fretting over what we lack,

we may invest our energy in meeting the needs of others,

and so make us faithful to Jesus' new commandment:

"Love one another - as I have lived you."