Love Across Cultures
Racism, prejudice, racial profiling and associated violence are grave sins against God’s commandment of love. As followers of Christ, we have a great duty not only to reject these sinful behaviors, but also to promote dialogue, tolerance, acceptance, and peacemaking.
The most recent violent events perpetrated by both police and residents of cities in Minnesota and Louisiana demonstrate, that in the United States of America, inter-racial peace and harmony have not been achieved. In fact, suspicions and tensions among different racial and ethnic communities have increased.
How can we make a difference and help interracial reconciliation possible?
The Good News of Jesus Christ teaches us that Jesus came into the world to reveal God to “all the nations.” So, even if Jesus came first for the people of Israel, he also came to understand that his message was meaningful and liberating for everyone. Even those who had not believed in God were attracted by his message of salvation and forgiveness.
Jesus’ popularity among those who did not have power or status in the society of their time teaches us that his attractiveness was extensive. The majority of the people of Jesus time had been pushed to the edges, forced to stand aside, and they were excluded in favor of those who had power. Jesus brought them and us a message that God does not look at our worldly status or power. God looks at our hearts. God desires that we love one another as Jesus himself showed us how to love, unselfishly.
Whether our ancestral origins are in Europe, Africa, Latin America, Asia, or Oceania, we are one as God’s children. Let our unity as a human family inspire us to see each other as neighbor, or even as sister and brother. Let us teach our children not to be suspicious of those who demonstrate differences from us, but rather teach them to seek out the other and learn. Let us be enriched by history, culture, race, language, and tradition, etc. Let us learn to love across every boundary and obstacle!
Peace, Fr. Andy