By Fr. Glenn Jones

As you know all too well, the issue of race and racism has dominated the last couple of months, despite even the COVID-19 pandemic. This emphasis on eliminating racism and bigotry is a wonderful goal without doubt, but counterproductive if violence and property destruction worsens the disease rather than cures it, for one does not solve injustice by being unjust—the obvious “two wrongs don’t make a right” wisdom.

So, in combating bigotry, we mustn’t cultivate bigotry by inadvertently sowing weeds of resentment with the good wheat of equality and true growth. True peace requires justice practiced by everyone.

Sadly, there will always be bigotry; we’ll never be able to eradicate it fully. It’s just too easy for some to elevate themselves by apparent but superficial differences, whether those be color, economic status, religious affiliation, or whatever. Yet it is also counterproductive to “cherry-pick” worst extreme examples and propagandize them as the norm; such will backfire and worsen the problem rather than correct it. 

Many persons are taught prejudice from the cradle, and it takes courage, reasoned mind and desire for truth to oppose friends and relations. And yet truth obliges us to do so if necessary. In this the determined Christian must live his discipleship and do the right regardless of possible loss of favor or even criticism, recalling that martyrs for the faith whom we admire were men and women just like us, and yet held firm regardless of consequences. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us…Consider [Jesus] who endured …such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:1, 3) Can we, then, not suffer a few insults and criticisms from those mistaken in their thinking? In fact, such are badges of honor in furthering the cause of Good.

Jesus, too, gives us the most perfect of examples. We remember His shattering of paradigms and prejudices, His care and love for outcasts (and His culture’s traditional enemies) among the people … forgiving the wrongdoer, touching/healing the untouchable, even supping with the treacherous … rejecting no one. With such examples, how dares a Christian reject his fellow Man? … especially remembering God’s Word: “…people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” (Luke 13:29-30), and “…behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in [spotless] robes…” (Revelation 7:9)  Nowhere is mentioned: “…except Black/ White/ Red/ Brown/… Purple/ Chartreuse/ or anyone not like yourself.” We read: “If any one says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar…” (1 John 4:20)

In the Gospel for the Catholic Mass this weekend, Jesus—Goodness Itself—gives one of the most difficult of all His teachings for His listeners: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39) In its essence, Jesus teaching that we must love goodness and righteousness before all things, even to the sacrifice of closest friends and relations if necessary. We do not reject THEM, of course; we are to love all persons. But we must risk their rejection if it means following the Good, not wavering despite the pain it may cause us. This is part of the “life we lose” that Jesus warns us about … part of the cross of the true disciple. Difficult and even scary, yes, but—like Peter—we weep bitterly if we deny Our Lord—if we deny Goodness—simply to avoid criticism and exclusion. (Matthew 26:69-75)

So, the “chosen race” is not white, black, brown, red or characterized by superficial measure.  Rather, it is composed of those who follow Goodness … who follow Truth … which we Christians believe is embodied—incarnate, even —in the person of Jesus Christ: “…you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)  And so, as St. Paul exhorts: “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” knowing that: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:8, 13) And bigotry is no part of virtue.

So in our here and now, let us recall Martin Luther King, Jr.’s absolutely awesome “I Have a Dream” speech:

“…I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

I have a dream that one day…the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

…I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

…And this will be the day…when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

… And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city…all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.