philf99
philf99's JournalRacism and Resurrection Easter Homily 2008
Our pastor gave this homily at our Easter mass of 2008. His message is pertinent today. BTW the parishioners applauded after this homily.
Well, it’s Easter. Most of us have experienced many Easters. Many of us have experienced a number of Easters here at. So I imagine that as you were driving to church today, if you were in a reflective mood, you might have easily come up with a list of terms that you would expect to hear in today’s homily. Those terms might be: Resurrection, new life, Baptism, joy, Alleluia. If you were a young person, you might even be thinking, “If I was in a playful mood, he might even say something about the Easter bunny.” But I bet none of you, on the way to church today, would ever have expected that in my Easter homily I would mention Barack Obama. Barack Obama does not fit easily into the list of expected Easter themes. But now that I have mentioned him, I will need to spend the rest of the homily telling you why I am thinking of him and how that relates to Easter.
I have not mentioned Barack Obama to encourage you to vote for him. Who you vote for president, as we discussed several homilies ago, is a complex matter that you must decide within your own heart in the presence of God. I am thinking about Barack Obama because he is the first credible, black candidate for president in the history of our nation. I am thinking of him because this past week the issue of racism emerged dramatically within his campaign. He has been charged with having too close a relationship to his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, who has said a number of things in his sermons which many find offensive and some even anti-American. In response to these charges, Mr. Obama gave a speech last week to discuss the issue. Many commentators say that it was the finest political speech since Jack Kennedy discussed his Catholicism in 1960. In this speech Mr. Obama disagreed with his pastor but understood the anger and frustration which caused Pastor Wright to make his remarks. Mr. Obama drew the attention of our nation to the presence of racism in our country. There are in fact two different Americas, white America and Black America. These two Americas see the world very differently.
For example: Jeremiah Wright suggested in one of his sermons that there was a government plot to release the Aids virus into black neighborhoods to kill black people. Now as a white American, I consider this suggestion, absurd. Our government, at times, may be incompetent. But I do not believe that it consciously seeks to eliminate parts of our population. I am sure that there are many black Americans who would agree with me—but not as many as you might think. Surveys have shown that thirty percent of black Americans consider the possibility of a government plot to release the Aids virus as plausible. As plausible! Thirty percent, that’s almost a third!
There are a significant number of black Americans who see things very differently than most of us in church today. Those differences remind us that there remains a racial division in our country, a division that comes to the surface now and again. Some of you might remember how after O.J. Simpson was found not guilty for murder, only four out of ten white Americans thought that it was the right decision. In contrast, nine out of ten black Americans felt that the verdict was justified.
What’s going on here? Two different worlds, two different ways of looking at government, at law, at police enforcement, at education, at the prison system, at health care. I am not wise enough to tell you, which one of these two views is more accurate. But what is clear is that as a country, we remain racially divided.
And that brings us to Easter. Our God does not want us to be divided. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead is the God who created all things. As Creator, God gave to each person, a dignity and a worth that cannot be erased—to each person, black and white, red and brown and yellow. From God’s perspective, the divisions that exist within humanity are flaws in creation. God raised Jesus from the dead to bring us together. As the letter to the Colossians says: “Jesus came to reconcile all things to God—all things in heaven and on earth, making peace through the blood of his cross.” It is God’s purpose to heal every division between us, and we who believe in God are called to make God’s purposes our own.
Now there are, of course, all kinds of divisions. Some we see more clearly than others. We see divisions in our families. We see economic divisions which pit us one against another. We see divisions in terms of ideology, in terms of deeply held convictions, in terms of religious faith. Racism is only one of the divisions that are opposed to God’s will, but the Obama campaign makes it a topical one and one that we should follow in the months ahead.
As Christians we are committed to oppose divisions among us where ever they are found. We cannot hold that Easter candle and deny the cracks that exist among us which that light reveals. We cannot stand here and renew our Baptismal promises—professing our faith in Father, Son and Spirit—and forget that the oneness of our God is the model upon which a united humanity is to be built. We cannot feel the wetness of the Baptismal waters and at the same time deny the thirst of so many—the thirst for justice, unity, and peace.
But you say: “This mission of reconciliation, this mission of unity is not practical. There are so many divisions that exist between us that we will never be one.” God did not raise Jesus from the dead because it was practical. Jesus did not come out of the tomb because it was likely. Faith does not mean that we believe in the things which we think are possible. Faith means that we trust in God’s promises of what is possible. That is why in faith we hold on to the hope that we can heal the divisions between us. That is why, in faith, we are committed to make God’s purposes our own.
So you came tonight expecting Alleluias and the Easter Bunny, and what you got was racism and a mission to heal the divisions of our world. Sorry about that. But welcome to Christianity. Welcome to Easter.
That was an earthquake
Heard and felt a load boom at our house. Our neighbor said it knocked him out of his chair.
4.4 magnitude earthquake just outside of Eastlake, Ohio
Today's Gospel Reading is my favorite
Sunday April 7, 2019 was the reading about the adulterous who was to be stoned.
I see the law and order republicans with their stones in their hands. The reading says Jesus wrote something in the sand but doesn't say what. I speculate it was something like you think it is ok to grab a woman by the pussy yet you want to stone this woman.
The Jesus says let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
Lindsey Graham needs a medical procedure
He needs to have his lips surgically removed from Trump's ass
From our parish bulletin
USCCB & BORDER WALL – The President of the USCCB and the head of the Committee on Migration issued the following joint statement: “We are deeply concerned about the President’s action to fund the construction of a wall along the U.S./Mexico border, which circumvents the clear intent of Congress to limit funding of a wall. We oppose the use of these funds to further the construction of the wall. The wall first and foremost is a symbol of division and animosity between two friendly countries. We remain steadfast and resolute in the vision articulated by Pope Francis that at this time we need to be building bridges and not walls.”
Doctors Warn Drinking A Shot Every Time Trump Lies During Speech Will Result In Death
Don't say you haven't been warned
[link:https://www.burrardstreetjournal.com/doctors-warn-drinking-a-shot-every-time-trump-lies-tonight-will-result-in-death/?fbclid=IwAR2RiyIg8zMsla_4f1QrjrX0VoxffT4tJlWPajeRb-ngSG--v2uKDquqjVA|
LEADING health officials across the United States have tonight warned against playing a drinking game during President Trump’s televised address to the nation.
The game, which involves drinking a shot every time Trump lies, has been branded “incredibly dangerous” and “will likely result in death” according to experts.
“Consuming that much alcohol, possibly as many as 100 shots in a minute is extremely dangerous and reckless,” Dr. Lisa Edelstein told CNN. “Please consume alcohol responsibly, perhaps closer to the level a regular politician lies.”
Despite the incredible health risks involved the major U.S. news channels will broadcast Trump’s speech unedited, however as a compromise will air a health warning prior to and during his monologue on the dangers of immigration.
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