Father, Forgive the Sin of Racism

Following is the prepared text from Bishop Olmsted’s homily from the Mass for Forgiveness of the Sin of Racism.

June 8, 2020

During His sorrowful Passion in the Garden of Gethsemane and while dying on the Cross on Calvary, Jesus found in the Psalms words to cry out to His Beloved Father from the depths of His pain– Words like these from Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”  And from Psalm 143: “The enemy pursues my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; …Lord, make haste and answer; for my spirit fails within me.” George Floyd did not die alone. Jesus was with him—praying with him and for him. At every time and every place, Jesus draws near to every person, especially in times of suffering and at the hour of death.

We are gathered around the Altar of Sacrifice tonight to pray for forgiveness for the sin of racism in Arizona and wherever it occurs. As we do so, it is important to be clear what we Catholics mean by racism. There are three parts to racism (p. 896):

First, it is “unjust discrimination on the basis of a person’s race.” We were created by God to be brothers and sisters to one another, to live in solidarity with each other, to be “our brother’s keeper,” and to overcome misunderstandings and prejudice through honest dialogue and engagement. When we fail to do so, the social fabric of our families and communities is torn apart. Sadly, this still happens in our nation; it still happens here in Arizona. Let me give you some examples of racism in our local Church:

49% of our priests in the Diocese of Phoenix were born in other countries. These men of God, coming from countries around the world, contribute in wonderful ways to the mission of Christ among us. Sadly, many of them have had painful experiences of prejudice. On the day that I installed one of our finest pastors, protestors came to the parking lot and distributed flyers on car windows denouncing the bishop for replacing their beloved former pastor with “these Africans.”

Another priest said that, when he arrived at his first assignment, a parishioner told him “they could not stand a black priest at the altar.”

There are just two examples of unjust discrimination based on a person’s race.

Secondly, racial prejudice is a violation of human dignity. Each human person is created in the image and likeness of God. This means our dignity has a transcendent quality given us by our Creator. We do not earn it. It is not something we deserve. It is ours because we are loved by a God, who is love and who desires that everyone be saved and be happy with Him forever in heaven. That’s why we believe that racism is a sin that violates human dignity.

Thirdly, racism is a sin against justice. Football coach Tony Dungy said, several days ago,

“America is a very sad place today. We have seen a man die senselessly, at the hands of the very people who are supposed to be protecting our citizens. We have seen people protest this death by destroying the property and dreams of people in their own community, the very people they are protesting for… What happened to George Floyd was inexcusable and it should never happen. Justice needs to be served, but in seeking justice we can’t fall into the trap of prejudging every police officer we see.”

Racism is a sin against justice. It cannot be overcome by further acts against justice. One of our Catholic college students said, “I am worried that a person from the crowd is going to do something that hurts my dad.” Her father is a police officer.

While racism is a sinful act that prejudice, injustice, and lack of respect for human dignity brings about, racism also hides itself behind indifference. Racists may not get caught because they are doing “nothing.” But, in Jesus’ description of the Last Judgment, found in Matthew 25:41ff, sin is depicted not as what people did but “what they failed to do.” “I was hungry and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.”

American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, who had a keen awareness of how Satan tempts us to sin, said what he most feared was that his heart would turn to ice, frozen by the indifference he allowed to lodge there. This coldness of heart is what we see in the older brother of the prodigal son. His sin lay not so much in what he did but in what he failed to do: he refused to recognize the prodigal son as his brother, saying to his father, “This son of yours!” And he refused to go in the house to eat with his father and brother when the “fatted calf” was prepared for the celebration of his conversion and return to his father’s house.

Racism is not overcome, however, by our own human determination. It is overcome by God, by His mercy. It is not our achievement. We have a key part to play, in cooperation with His grace, but only God can change minds and hearts. That’s why the Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist play such vital roles in overcoming the sin of racism.

The prodigal son, when he finally came to his senses and saw how his own selfishness had ruined his life, told his father Lk 15:18f), “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son…” By God’s grace, he came to see how great was his need for God.

Racism is overcome by God’s forgiveness; and it is expressed in words like those we say together at Mass at the beginning of Mass, “I confess to Almighty God and to you, my brothers and Sisters, that I have sinned…” Later in Mass, just before receiving Holy Communion, the priest says as He holds up the Sacred Eucharist: “Behold, the Lamb of God! Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” Then, we all respond, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

Pope John Paul II, in his first message after would-be assassin Ali Agca tried to kill him in May 1981, said, “For more than 30 years, I have had the privilege to serve Jesus as a priest; now I thank Him for allowing me to serve Him as a victim.” He also said, “With all my heart, I forgive my brother who tried to take my life.”

As Jesus was dying on the Cross, in addition to praying with Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me;” also said (Lk 23:34), “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” And when one of the criminals dying on the cross beside Him, said (Lk 23:42), “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom;” Jesus replied, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” The rich mercy of God restores human dignity, even to the most hardened of sinners, if we have the humility to say six words: “I am sorry. Please forgive me.”

On March 12, 2000, Pope John Paul II, at a Mass of the First Sunday of Lent of the 21^st century, in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, led the whole Church in a Day of Pardon, in which he asked the entire Church to place itself “before Christ, who out of love, took our guilt upon Himself”, and to make a “profound examination of conscience,” and to “forgive and ask forgiveness!” Inspired by the example of St. John Paul II, let us beg the Lord Jesus, at this Mass, for the grace we need to overcome the evil of racism and to build a society of Jesus and solidarity. O merciful Savior, we ask for your help that prejudice and animosity will no longer infect our minds or poison our hearts but will be replaced with a love that respects the dignity of every human person.