THE CHALLENGES OF RACE...IN LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL......

In recent days we have observed anew the reality that racial polarization is still very much present in America, despite the election last year of our first Afro-American President of the United States. The loud outcry stirred by the imbroglio between a black Harvard professor and a white Cambridge police officer, has focused the eyes and ears of our citizens on how far we have not yet come in unconditionally accepting and responding to each other without allowing race, ethnicity, or national origin, determine our response. This latest episode is perhaps a great teachable moment for our nation and the world. Whether racial profiling, reverse discrimination, or just miscommunication, was the root cause of this incident, it is a vital opportunity for all of us to revisit our actions and attitudes and to recommit to live in a color blind society of acceptance and equal opportunity for all peoples.
As Catholic-Christians we have a baptismal calling to love one another as we live the values of the Gospel. Jesus Co-Eternal Son of God, was born into the world with the purposes of saving and redeeming all people who follow him. White, black, yellow, brown, the color of our skin makes no difference to adherents of the Gospel of Life and Jesus the Christ.
Let us pray that as the dissension caused by this latest interaction in Massachusetts, gives way to dialogue and the police officer and the professor join The President for a beer in the White House, may we strive to arrive at the fullest acceptance of each other, just as Jesus does. This incident may well be a teachable moment for our country in the power of a continuing dialogue on as important and contentious an issue as race relations. The United States of America and the World have made meaningful progress in matters of civil rights and equal opportunities for peoples of all races and ethnicities during the past five decades. And yet we have so much further to go in concretizing the acceptance and openness we exhibit toward each other regardless of our skin color. Perhaps this incident can propel us forward further into the expanse of mutual acceptance and respect for each other and put the issue of racial profiling on notice, that it has no place in our nation or the world.........Fr. Troy