Dear Friends: “God hears the cry of the poor “! This refrain reverberates across the land as we as a nation and as a continent respond to what has happened to minorities especially people of colour in both the United States and Canada. I'm sure we've all watched in horror as Mr. George is murdered before our eyes by four policemen. Additionally, we are in shock as a First Nations woman from Vancouver Island is killed by a police person in New Brunswick. What is happening? What's going on? We're seeing the rise of racist attitudes or more accurately the veil has been pulled away from the racism that has always been there.
I've spent a lot of my ministry in fighting racism in all its forms. Racism is based in power and is fueled by fragility and his sense that “I’m not as good as someone else. Therefore, i must put that person down by any means possible to make myself feel good”. This is often by self-professed Christians who have forgotten the readings of this day. On this Trinity Sunday we recognize the fullness of God alive within us all and around us all and is created all in the world. The major message of today is that God created everything, and God saw that it was good. And that everything God created we’re all united in that creation, so we are in fact the brothers and sisters of those whom we sometimes mistreat! Systemic racism is a thing so pervasive we don't even see it or recognize it. It is a force that's destroying the fabric of our North American society both here in Canada and in the United States.
What are we as progressive Christians to do? It is important that we remember that God created us in love and that is in love that we are to reach out to everyone else. Try to remember there's a lot more that joins us and separates us. A lot of people's negative reactions come out of fear or out of trauma and a reaction to things that have been done to them. This is especially true when it comes to minorities of all races and colour. It's an important thing that we allow people to grieve in our midst about what's happened to them and do not take it personally. Those of us who are white Caucasian, it's important to remember that we are just lucky to have been born white in North America. We are no different than our brothers or sisters. On this Trinity Sunday where we enjoy the full power of God inside of us. It is a Creative power, a redemptive power and the healing power of the Holy Spirit be fully alive in us. We are to reach out and to restore health to those who are wounded this day due to racism. It is what Jesus has commanded us to do. May God bless us on our journey
