Anti-Racism Sunday: When God Denounces our Divisions!
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17
In our divided world, we have coined several words to name our divisions. One such word is racism. We have also pointed accusing fingers at those we consider racist. Going through our readings of today, racism did not begin with the Euro-Americans: it is as old as humanity! The Greek statement of the 8th century B.C. “Greeks and Barbarians” entrenched linguistic racism — those who did not speak Greek were considered inferior to the Greeks. The Jewish statement, “Jews and Gentiles” or “Jews and Foreigners”, enshrined ethnic and territorial racisms. The list of our racist past is long. But must we perpetuate it? NO!
Today is Christian anti-racism Sunday. In the encounter between Peter and Cornelius, in our first reading, God begins the unity and reconciliation of races through Christianity. As a sign of denunciation of racism, God pours his Holy Spirit on Jews and Gentiles! Our first reading provides three steps towards overcoming racism, for anyone who calls himself/herself a Christian. 1) Everyone must leave their comfort zones behind in order to meet the other halfway. 2) God meets us in our spirits and common humanity. And, 3) “love” and “friendship” are the dwelling places/abodes of God. These three points are found in our readings today.
To bridge the gap between the human invention of “Jews versus Gentiles”, Peter went into the house of a non-Jew, a Roman centurion — Cornelius. Cornelius, an important personality — a leader of 100 soldiers (Centurion) — knelt down to welcome his guest, Peter. To prove that God transcends racism, he pours his Holy Spirit upon non-Jews just as he did upon Jews. Peter asked for the water of baptism to be brought in — the new anti-racist passport that makes everyone a child of God. Baptism in water and the Holy Spirit is the first Christian spiritual antidote to racism —water and Spirit, physical sign of internal transformation.
When the inner person is transformed, there is an outward manifestation of that changed personality. The recognition of the “humanity” of others is the second anti-racist lesson of our first reading — “Get up. I myself am also a human being”, says Peter to Cornelius — the recognition of their common humanity. This teaches us that any inkling to want to make another person lesser than oneself is racist! Mutual respect is anti-racism. The humble confession of Peter, despite his being a Christian who received baptism of water and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, makes racist conversion a continuous struggle: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him”. It took some time before Peter was convinced about the evil of racism, despite having lived in the company of Jesus for many years.
The third anti-racist element of our readings comes from the second and gospel readings — the power of love and friendship: “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16). Human standards for crusading against racism are not good enough because they’re human invention; we must recognize the Divine dimensions to anti-racism — the spiritual and the metaphysical — God. Human beings are both spiritual as well as physical beings — they are creatures of God! “To remain in love”, as our second reading suggests, is to be constantly showing acts of love and kindness to other human beings. The inner spirit must keep seeing the spiritual and material in others.
Love is not just about emotions; it is actions and deeds, as well. This is how our gospel describes “love”: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you”. Only deeds of love topple racism; only dying to destroy racism can bring it to an end; only dying for the other creates friendship. Universal human friendship is the dwelling place of God, who is love.
Christian friendship is arrived at when one is ready to die for the other. Jesus calls his disciples friends at the point of his departure from them to face the agony of the cross that will culminate in his death and resurrection. This makes friendship a journey of sacrifice that leads to death; not a physical death, but the death of racial difference and division. Remember that Jesus promises his disciples the Holy Spirit as the power that will guide them into complete truth (John 16:13); the truth that every human division is evil. The journey of Peter to the house of Cornelius for racial reconciliation is yours and mine to make.
How do you welcome foreigners and guests to your country, home, or office? You may be xenophobic or homophobic without considering that as a form of racism — you need conversion from your insecurities! Where is the place of God and love in your hatred of others? When you cannot take the risk to leave your comfort zone to go meet with those who are different from you, where is your love? Get up, take the first step, and start the journey of “friendship” towards the other. It is high time you and I confessed, like Peter, that “God has not favorites”!