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

In 1986, Fr. Greg Boyles was assigned as the pastor of Dolores Mission, the poorest parish in the city of Los Angeles. He quickly recognized how  poverty, violence, and a lack of opportunity were creating (in his words) "a lethal absence of hope" among the young people in the community. Fr. Greg started a jobs ministry, but very few employers wanted to hire ex-gang members with criminal records.  That's when he had a vision: the community would create its own company, with the sole purpose of providing jobs and support to ex-gang members. Today,  Homeboy Industries  is the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. In this TED talk from 2012, Fr. Greg credits a focus on compassion, connection, and what calls "kinship" among former gang rivals for the success of the ministry.

Reflect:

• Where do I find kinship? Where do I struggle to find connection?
• How is God calling me to "boldly reach out" to others?

 

---

Day 16: Do not be afraid

"Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self.  To depend on God sets us free from every form of enslavement and leads us to recognize our great dignity. We see this in  Saint Josephine Bakhita: 'Abducted and sold into slavery at the tender age of seven, she suffered much at the hands of cruel masters. But she came to understand the profound truth that God, and not man, is the true Master of every human being, of every human life.'"                                                                                                                                                                                                                      - Pope Francis,  Gaudete et Exsultate (2018)

Zelda La Grange was born to a privileged Boer family in South Africa in 1970, at the height of the racist apartheid regime in that country. At the age of 23, her world was turned upside down when the apartheid regime was defeated and Nelson Mandela became the first democratically elected president in the history of South Africa. Like most White South Africans, she feared that the new president would seek to punish people like her for decades of unjust and inhumane treatment. But when Zelda eventually met President Mandela, his profound kindness and respect caused her to rethink everything she had been taught about race, power, and privilege. So much so, that she went on to serve as his private secretary for nearly 20 years. Speaking in Oxford, England in 2015, Zelda acknowledged that letting go of her fear and pre-conceptions was difficult, but "we have to remind ourselves that history was determined by people with courage and conviction. We can determine the future by displaying that same courage and conviction."

Reflect:

• As you consider your own part in confronting racism, what fears do you have?
• As you consider your own part in confronting racism, what gives you courage?

 

---

Day 17: Do Justice

"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:

• What is your reaction to Mr. White's description of how he instructs his grandsons to behave when they are pulled over by the police?
• Have you ever seen or experienced an act of prejudice?  How did you respond? How do you wish you would have responded?

 

---

Day 18: Love Goodness
"Most people would not consider themselves to be racist. A person might admit to being prejudiced but certainly not racist. As Christians, we know it is our duty to love others. St. Paul reminds us that we live by the Spirit, and the 'fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control' (Gal 5:22-23). We must be honest with ourselves. Each of us should examine our conscience and ask if these fruits are really present in our attitudes about race. Or, rather, do our attitudes reflect mistrust, impatience, anger, distress, discomfort, or rancor? 

When we begin to separate people in our thoughts for unjust reasons, when we start to see some people as 'them' and others as 'us,' we fail to love. Yet love is at the heart of the Christian life. When approached and asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus answered: 'You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself' (Mt 22:37-39). This command of love can never be simply 'live and let others be.' The command of love requires us to make room for others in our hearts. It means that we are indeed our brother’s keeper."                -  Open Wide Our Hearts, USCCB (2018)

On June 17, 2015 a 21 year old man walked into a bible study at the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He prayed with the members of the church for almost an hour before pulling out a gun and opening fire on them, killing nine people. The young man was a member of a White supremacist hate group; he hoped that his actions would provoke more violence against African Americans.  Three days later, at his bond hearing, the judge allowed the survivors and family members of those who were killed to address the killer.  One by one, each person came forward to say, "I forgive you."  Three years after the shooting, three survivors gave an interview to explain how they were able to extend mercy to the man who showed no remorse for his crime. Watch the interview here.

Reflect:

• How has the sin of racism hurt you, or those that you love?
• Are you ready to be healed of that hurt?  What would healing look like for you?
• Are you ready to help others seek healing and wholeness?  What would that look like?
• If you are not yet ready - what graces do you need to become ready?

 

---

Day 19: Walk Humbly
"To press forward without fear means 'to walk humbly with God' in rebuilding our relationships, healing our communities, and working to shape our policies and institutions toward the good of all, as missionary disciples. Evangelization, which is the work of the Church, 'means not only preaching but witnessing; not only conversion but renewal; not only entry into the community but the building up of the community.' Racism is a moral problem that requires a moral remedy—a transformation of the human heart—that impels us to act. The power of this type of transformation will be a strong catalyst in eliminating those injustices that impinge on human dignity. As Christians, we know this to be true, for with 'God all things are possible' (Mt 19:26). It is the Lord who, by his grace, forgives and restores us to these relationships and heals the wounds between us. After all, the aim of salvation history is reconciliation and entering the heavenly Jerusalem, a communion of all peoples and all nations.

To press forward without fear also means cooperating with God’s grace by taking direct and deliberate steps for change. It means opening doorways where once only walls stood."                                          -  Open Wide Our Hearts, USCCB (2018)

In a 2014 talk, diversity advocate Verna Myers says that to overcome our biases, we must 1.) get out of denial about our biases; 2.) move toward people in marginalized groups; and 3.) have the courage to confront bias when we see it, even among close friends and family.  She acknowledges that pushing past our preconceived notions about racial differences will be difficult, humbling work but (in her words) "we are not going to get comfortable before we are uncomfortable."

Reflect:

• What are my biases? Name them, and confess them humbly to God.
• What does it look like for me to "move toward my biases"?  What graces will I need to be able to do this?

 

---

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 Church 

You have set aside this time for reflection. The realities of racism and oppression are overwhelming and bewildering. Acknowledge that God is with you in this journey. You are not alone. 

After reviewing and reflecting on the ideas that were presented, ask God to bring clarity and understanding of the material you have read and heard. Review the events of this day. Were there times that one or more of these points can be recognized? 

Pay attention to the feelings you experience as you recognize your connection to racial justice and injustice. What causes you to feel angry, frustrated, discouraged, sorrowful, isolated, etc.? Did you connect to ideas that brought feelings of comfort, encouragement, joy or peace? Look deeply at what God is saying to you through these feelings. Where is God’s voice in it? 

What ideas are hard to accept? With what are you struggling? Sometimes it is right to step away from untruths, but other times the barrier may come from too-ready judgement, self-righteousness or arrogance. Tell God how you feel; ask for God’s forgiveness and help. 

Turn your reflection to the day ahead. How might your understanding be applied? Ask God for wisdom and courage to act in ways that increase racial justice and bring healing to yourself and others. Do all this in the spirit of gratitude.

End your Examen with the Lord’s Prayer or a prayer for racial justice.

Prayer for Social Justice and Peace 

Almighty God, source of true justice and peace,
in you there is no distinction of persons,
for in you we are equally loved. 
Reconcile us that we may live and work
with each other and with you
to establish your Kingdom on earth
where there is no poverty, war, or any oppression,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
 

---

Day 21: Open Wide Your Heart
 

Getting 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:

• Just as a tree cannot mature in one night’s growth, neither is a burst of enthusiasm sufficient for a person to contribute meaningfully to the work of racial justice. This is a common problem, which leads to incredible frustration when a person attempts to engage without understanding, play “lone ranger,” or try to “save” others without understanding the full history or interconnectedness of the struggle.
• Just as a tree cannot spring fully formed from its seed without external supports like light, air, soil, and sunshine, neither can a person engage meaningfully in the work through personal efforts alone. Some rely solely upon a personal journey of self-education, such as reading, to prepare them for community work. However, the sapling stage is essential to be effective. Exposure to the environment—its people, its rhythms, its expectations, its values—is needed while growing and learning.
• Just as a tree’s growth does not end when it reaches maturity, the development of an individual in the work of racial justice is never complete. The mature tree continues to add rings as it absorbs more nutrients, moving outward into the world, taking up more space as it puts down deeper roots in its environment. Likewise, a person who wants to make meaningful change for racial justice must continually deepen their connections to their community, expand their engagement with their surroundings, continue to absorb the knowledge that helps it to keep growing, and provide the seed, shade, and structure to nurture the growth of others who come after them.

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:

• What were your goals when you began this 21 day challenge? Did you meet those goals? Did they change any over the past three weeks?
• Where will you plant your Justice T.R.E.E.E.? What graces will you need to continue to grow in understanding, courage, healing, and humility?
• Who / what can support you as you grow in this work?