Wake me up Lord, so that the evil of racism finds no home within me.
Keep watch over my heart Lord, and remove from me any barriers to your grace, that may oppress and offend my brothers and sisters.
Fill my spirit Lord, so that I may give services of justice and peace.
Clear my mind Lord, and use it for your glory.
And finally, remind us Lord that you said, "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."
Amen.
- "For the Love of One Another," USCCB's Committee on Black Catholics (1989)
Watch:
Day 15: Boldly Reach Out
"To work at ending racism, we need to engage the world and encounter others—to see, maybe for the first time, those who are on the peripheries of our own limited view. Knowing that the Lord has taken the divine initiative by loving us first, we can boldly go forward, reaching out to others. We must invite into dialogue those we ordinarily would not seek out. We must work to form relationships with those we might regularly try to avoid. This demands that we go beyond ourselves, opening our minds and hearts to value and respect the experiences of those who have been harmed by the evil of racism. Love also requires us to invite a change of heart in those who may be dismissive of other’s experiences or whose hearts may be hardened by prejudice or racism. Only by forging authentic relationships can we truly see each other as Christ sees us. Love should then move us to take what we learn from our encounters and examine where society continues to fail our brothers and sisters, or where it perpetuates inequity, and seek to address those problems"
- "Open Wide Our Hearts" USCCB, 2018
"From revelation, we know that the one God who created the human race is Triune, a communion of truth and love, and so by faith we recognize all the more clearly that human beings are, by their very nature, made for communion. Pope Benedict XVI noted, “As a spiritual being, the human creature is defined through interpersonal relations. The more authentically he or she lives these relations, the more his or her own personal identity matures. It is not by isolation that man establishes his worth, but by placing himself in relation with others and with God.” We are meant to love God with our whole being, which then overflows into love for our neighbor. “Whoever loves God must love his brother” (1 Jn 4:21). This is the original meaning of justice, where we are in right relationship with God, with one another, and with the rest of God's creation. Justice was a gift of grace given to all of humanity."
- Open Wide Our Hearts, USCCB (2018)
As a young Airman in the United States Air Force, James White, Sr. struggled to find a landlord willing to rent an apartment to his family near base. As a grandfather, Mr. White now struggles to explain the killing of unarmed African Americans to his teenage grandchildren. Instead of getting angry about how racism has affected him and his loved ones, Mr. White chooses to call out racism as an affront to all Americans: "I want to appeal to Americans; to their humanity, to their dignity, to their civic pride and ownership . . . To come together to make sure that we speak out against any kind of insanity that makes it okay to kill unarmed people. We have to challenge that, it doesn't make any sense. We are not going to accept that kind of behavior anymore." Listen to his TED talk, "Fifty Years of Racism: Silence Isn't the Answer."
Reflect:
Day 20: Praying the Examen on a Journey of Racial Justice
Adapted from The Examen Handbook by Ross Jones, SJ by the Racism & Reconciliation Committee at St. Francis Xavier College ChurchGetting Started in Racial Equity Work
Adapted from "How to Get Started in Racial Equity Work: Plant a Justice T.R.E.E.E." by Tiffany Galvin Green, Ph.D. & Meagan Wilson Reitz (Ignatian Solidarity Network)
"For those of us whose daily lived experience includes a constant struggle against inequities, hatred, and other barriers because of our race, the desire to take action to protect ourselves and others is a commitment forged in persistence and tinged with weariness. For others of us, the brutality of racism and injustice has been observed with dawning horror, rather than directly experienced. For all of us, however, this historical moment has served as a moment to spur us to action. There is a sense of hope that our society can and must grow into something better—but what’s the best way to proceed? Which of these many sprouts should we water? Those who ask the question genuinely want to get involved, but they aren’t sure how or where to begin.
"The Justice T.R.E.E.E., “Tackling Racism” through its 3 E’s (Educate, Engage, and Effect), uses the analogy of the life stage progression of a seed to a tree to a forest. This image, we believe, captures the cyclical, constant, and evolving nature of racial justice work.
Educate yourself. Approach what you learn, read, listen to and watch with a growth mindset. No one can grow unless they are open to becoming better, recognizing that there is always more to learn.
Engage in authentic relationships. When engaging on difficult issues, listen more than you speak. This is particularly important for those who are accustomed to having their voices centered. Listen to understand first, not to respond. Listen with curiosity. Listen to identify the sources of conflict or misunderstanding.
Effect change by leveraging your power, privilege, and access. A strong tree can provide shelter and shade for many others. Recognize your personal sources of power—where and with whom you have influence. Act in those systems in ways that consistently amplify, center, and support those with less power, privilege, or access.
"The Justice T.R.E.E.E. approach is one that can capture the complexities of individual (and communal) learning and growing in racial equity work. For example:
In the end, after all, the goal is not to produce one healthy tree. The goal is to grow a healthy forest."
- "How to Get Started in Racial Equity Work: Plant a Justice T.R.E.E.E." by Tiffany Galvin Green, Ph.D. & Meagan Wilson Reitz (Ignatian Solidarity Network)
Reflect: