Responding to A Heavy Week

The process of writing “The Beauty of Holy Mystery” was lifegiving. It left me with a gratifying sense of contentment and hope in my ministry of writing. Then I entered a week that again revealed the grave violence of white body supremacy and those who worship at its altar. I have struggled with myself in how, or if it is my task to respond. This inner turmoil has weighed heavily on me. I am pushing myself to write now in an attempt to answer some of my own questions.

The older I become, the more I am dismayed by how deep the roots of racism and white body supremacy are entrenched into the society of the United States of America. It is a living legacy of the settlers and colonizers who imported and instituted on this land the oppressive systems they sought to escape. This included using a distorted and myopic view of Christianity to deny the human dignity of the Indigenous inhabitants of Turtle Island, and the kidnapped Africans whom they enslaved as chattel. Growing weary of the unjust demands of the crown they served, they fought for and won their independence but willingly chose not to address the race-based injustices they fostered.

With the 250th anniversary of independence approaching, it is tragic that this nation denies the importance of speaking the complex truth of its past and present. Having never sought to address its crimes against humanity there is an effort to not only deny them, but to erase them from history. When those with no moral compass have been given the power of authority, this is how they choose to elevate their status and fill their coffers while denying the basic needs of the masses.

I am but one voice and my authority to speak stems from my lived experiences, my knowledge of history, and my curiosity about injustice. People are born with an inherent sense of curiosity. Anyone with an infant can attest to how this is manifest and, in a healthy environment, how it grows. From responding to light, touch and sound to placing objects in their mouths they are learning about the world in which they live. As the infant grows into a toddler curiosity opens new paths of learning.

In time they learn from parents or others what is acceptable or unacceptable. “Yes, you may sit on the rocking chair.” “No, we do not bathe the puppy in the toilet.” Unfortunately, when matters regarding the flawed construct of race arise most parents, particularly those in white bodies, do not know how to respond. This leads them to resist the idea of the privilege they take for granted. It also leads them to fear the discomfort of questioning what is unquestionable. Racial disparities support the myths of superiority until they are explored at a deeper level with humility and integrity. If identifying as white means nothing but privilege, who are they and what is the truth of their existence?

My curiosity never allowed me to accept the way things are as unchangeable especially when unjust. As a descendant of free Africans who were kidnapped and enslaved as chattel for centuries before their demands for liberation were realized, I know that change occurs. Consequently, it is my responsibility to work for justice as long as my body has breath. Leslye’s Labyrinth is one of my tools.

As a person in a Black body, I want to give voice to the songs of my ancestors. These songs of liberation are now mine. I also want to give voice to our lived experiences to dispel the lies the system tells to people in white bodies. Most of them are unaware that our liberation is connected, or that their souls also long for liberation. The lies of white body supremacy bind us all. This is true for those of us who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Culture as well as those who identify as white. Those in white bodies who are doing their innerwork and committed to the work of racial equity understand this.

I hope my words will compel people in white bodies to do their inner work on the flawed construct of race. I want them to wrestle with it like Jacob wrestled with God. My BIPOC siblings have been wrestling with it for far too long. From positions of privilege, many used Sacred Scripture to “anoint” this construct as though it was ordered by the Divine. That is a blasphemous lie that maligns and crucifies the Body of Christ. The construct denies the dignity of Jesus and most of the people in Christian Scripture. It must be lamented by the church and those who identify as the faithful. As a Catholic laywoman, I call upon the Catholic Church and the Catholic faithful to do so. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I call upon my siblings in Christ to do likewise.

There is a great deal of work to be done in dismantling racism and white body supremacy. It will extend far beyond our lifetimes. Evenso, we must do what we can while we can. If you find value in reading Leslye’s Labyrinth, share it with others. This is one way we impact change.