Recent months have brought tragic events that have widened the racial divide in the United States. An air of suspicion and mistrust accompanies a loss of confidence in the system of law enforcement and justice. Protesters have complained about the use of excessive force by some police officers.
The Black Lives Matter movement has organized protests against racial profiling, the deaths of black people at the hands of law enforcement officers, and racial inequality in the criminal justice system.
The nation has recoiled at the assassination of police officers by gunmen. We must repudiate acts of violence against anyone, particularly police officers, who put their lives on the line every day to protect the safety of citizens. The men and women in blue deserve our respect and gratitude. President Barack Obama said, “An attack on our police is an attack on all of us. There is no need for inflammatory language. We need to lower our voices and open our hearts to each other.”
At the same time, we must also pay attention to the urgent concerns of the African-American people. To the extent that there is any bias or racial prejudice affecting the decisions or the job performance of any of our public servants, we as a society should act to root it out.
This critical juncture in the history of our nation calls upon all of us to do some soul-searching of our own personal attitudes about race. Rather than taking sides in an argument between “black lives matter” and “blue lives matter,” it would be much more constructive for us to reflect prayerfully on our own action or inaction that perpetuates division or mistrust.
For example, we might ask ourselves, “When was the last time that I shared a meal, a conversation, or a prayer with someone whose race is different from my own?” “Where is the racism in my heart?” “Does my use of humor include jokes that are racially insensitive?” “How do I respond when I hear someone make an unfair racial comment?” “Is there any way that I have been complicit, either consciously or not, in a dynamic of racial isolation or mistrust?”
This a time when we need to take the initiative to build authentic relationships with members of other races. We can open doors of friendship across racial lines through simple gestures and invitations.
For example, in many communities across the nation, there have been recent meetings between law enforcement officers and local residents to discuss concerns and get better acquainted with each other. In these face-to-face encounters, the participants recognize the challenges and face them with mutual respect and a commitment to the common good.
In this stressful time, dialogue and honest conversation contribute immensely to the building of bridges among the various elements of our society. Rather than adding fuel to the fire of conflict, we ought to act in a way that builds empathy. We should try to appreciate the fact that this police officer, or this AfricanAmerican young man, is a real human being with family, love, hopes, dreams, and relationships. This person is beloved in the eyes of God. This is my brother.
We will do well to recall the words of Scripture in Galatians 3:28, where St. Paul says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” The Church is the Body of Christ, and as such, the Church should serve as an instrument of unity and peace in our world.
In the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ 1979 statement on racism, Brothers and Sisters to Us, it says, “Racism is a sin; a sin 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. Racism is the sin that says some human beings are inherently superior and others essentially inferior because of races. It is the sin that makes racial characteristics the determining factor for the exercise of human rights. It mocks the words of Jesus: “Treat others the way you would have them treat you.” Indeed, racism is more than a disregard for the words of Jesus; it is a denial of the truth of the dignity of each human being revealed by the mystery of the Incarnation.”
We need God’s help in confronting racism and inequality. Please join me in praying for unity and peace in our society. The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi is particularly appropriate for our current situation.
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.