PROLOGUE
The Catholic Church from the time of Jesus has a long history of promoting social justice. The early Christians took care of one another in community, looked after the common good, loved each other and prayed together.
“All who believed were together and had all things in common they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes… praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
Book of Acts 2:42-45
SCRIPTURE
“Anyone who says I love God and hates his neighbor is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” I John 4:20
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?…If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? Faith without works is dead.” James 2:14-17
“I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
CATHECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
REFLECTION
No one person receives the same talents and gifts but all talents and gifts are present in the body of Christ so that no one is left behind materially or spiritually. In other words, Catholic Social Justice teaching calls on us the “people of God” to minister to our neighbor’s needs, to speak out against injustice, and to work for peace.
CCC #1934 Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity.
CCC #1936 On coming into this world man is not equipped with everything he needs for developing his bodily and spiritual life. He needs others. Talents and gifts are not distributed equally, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone…Corinthians chapter 12:4-7
CCC #1937 These differences belong to God’s divine plan who wills that each receives what he needs from others and those endowed with particular talents share them with those who need them. These differences encourage and sometimes oblige persons to practice generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods.
COMMENTARY
In these turbulent times I am going to focus today on the subject of Racism. I have been a social justice advocate all my adult life. have led protests/demonstrations against racial injustice. immoral wars and to abolish the death penalty “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” Matthew 25:40.
In this presidential election year racism has raised its ugly head more than once. Race, ethnicity. and whether you were born in America. It reminds us of the Charlotteville march by KKK shouting Jews will not replace us! Former President Trump when asked to comment said, there were good people on both sides!
RACISM
Racism is not merely one sin among many. It is the Original Sin of our Country. Our country was built on slave labor and the genocide of Native Americans. That is a fact whether we like it or not.
Racism is a radical evil that divides the human family blots out the image of God among specific members of that family, and violates the fundamental human dignity of those called to be children of the same Father.
With more and more limited resources. the poor and racial minorities are being asked to bear the heaviest burden of the new economic pressures. As economic pressures tighten, those people who are often black, Hispanic, Native American and Asian, the marginalized poor, slip further into the unending cycle of poverty, deprivation, and disease, .
REFLECTION
In Christ Jesus “there does not exist among you Jew or Greek, slave or freedom, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 No one wants to think of themselves as a racist and most people are not. But an examination of conscience might be in order to see the extent that racial bias affects our personal attitudes and judgments.
I know over the years if I had an unpleasant experience with a person of color, I might be inclined to let that “color” my opinions leading to prejudging and perhaps avoiding such a person in the future. Racism is insidious as it might sneak up on us before we are aware and take steps to mitigate any generalization about a race. As disciples of Jesus we do our best to influence the attitudes of others by expressly rejecting racial stereotypes, racial slurs and racial jokes.
If we want peace, we must work for justice – here at home and around the world. Lasting peace is the effect of charity. There is no real peace without forgiveness… If we want peace, we must let go of our desire for revenge, we must be willing to let old wounds heal through the saving grace of God’s love.
Prayer to Overcome Racism
We are called to be one people, sisters and brothers to each other.
Mary our Mother, we ask for your help in obtaining the grace we need to overcome the evil of racism and to build a just society.
We pray that prejudice and animosity will no longer infect our minds or hearts
but will be replaced with a love that respects the dignity of each person. Mary Mother of us all, pray for us. Amen