As our nation and world continues to struggle with the COVID 19 pandemic and the racial tensions in the community surfacing in light of the brutal death of George Floyd and all the subsequent chaos and violence that followed we all can be overwhelmed and feeling like maybe hiding under our bed for the next few weeks may be the best solution. I have thought that.
But we also know this isn’t the answer or response to sin in our world, especially the sin of racial hatred and violence. On Tuesday, June 9, this past week all Catholic parishes in California were asked by our Bishops to celebrate a Mass for Peace and Justice in which we observed 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence during the time of the homily to seek true peace in Jesus Christ and true justice in God the Father for or world, country, community and family.
On June 11th we, as the Catholic Church, celebrated the Memorial of the Apostle St. Barnabas and we may want to think about what we today can learn from the life of St. Barnabas. We may ask, what’s in a name and who is this Saint? We know many times the names in Sacred Scripture carry meaning beyond just what we call someone and Barnabas is not an exception. The name Barnabas means, “son of consolation.” Fr. Steve in his homily at Mass that day reminded all of us this name and the meaning of the name informs us who Barnabas is but more importantly how he can point us toward a greater relationship in communion with our brothers and sisters throughout the world.
The United States Bishops write in their pastoral letter on racism, “As Christians, we are called to listen and know the stories of our brothers and sisters. We must create opportunities to hear, with open hearts, the tragic stories that are deeply imprinted on the lives of our brothers and sisters, if we are to be moved with empathy to promote justice.” (from “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, A Pastoral Letter Against Racism”) We are reminded of this simple truth: we cannot fix racism by force or idle desire. We must learn to listen with hearts open to the heart of another. St. Barnabas with St. Paul were sent on mission to the gentiles, the non-Jews, the others of the world. (Acts 13:1-3) We can often forget how difficult and strange it was, and often still is, to step outside the comfortableness of our own culture and encounter another where they are not where we wish them to be. This is the point of the Bishops’ invitation to listen: to go out and encounter with the heart of love modeled after the heart of Jesus Christ.
To become a son and daughter of consolation we seek to hear actively and act with compassionate love to seek the healing of our heart and those we are called to meet. It is knowing the other deeply and fully in their hopes, joys, in their sorrow and pain. The Bishops’ write, “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)”
Peace and justice must always be linked because the “and” between them is love. Peace is false without the movement of justice and justice is stagnant without the fragrance of peace. Love then becomes the “and” allowing us to enter the space of the other with mercy, reconciliation and true hope.
It is living the Christian life where, like a quote I saw that goes something like this: I may not be able to walk in their shoes but I can put my own on, lace them up and walk with them and beside them.” It is the first step taken with Jesus who is Love.
God Bless
Fr. Mark
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/racism/upload/open-wide-our-hearts.pdf