Life is full of disappointments and pain, suffering and grief. Sin and death make their presence clearly known. But even as we go to the cross on Good Friday, we face it head on in the sure and certain hope that Sunday is coming and Jesus will be raised among us.
“White tears, white women’s tears, can move a nation. They will move people to mobilize. An Indigenous woman’s tears ain’t gonna move nothing. A Black woman’s tears ain’t gonna move nothing.”
Be present to Jesus and to the events of these days which we remember with the utmost holiness. For in going with Jesus to the cross and to the tomb, you will also then walk with him to the resurrection, wherein you will once again find the joy and hope of new life born, of a future bright with possibilities for life and laughter and joy and love.
My hope and prayer this St. Patrick’s Day is that the day is coming when, like the Irish, we will no longer see our neighbors of different cultures and colors as our enemies – as a plague upon our nation. I pray the day is coming when we might celebrate together, just as all peoples celebrate St. Patrick’s Day together.
The Sacred Ground program taught me to listen and to question and to see oppression from different perspectives. It also showed me some of the ways in which people and communities struggling against oppression and inequality can still strive to accomplish great things. It helped me to see what I can do moving forward.
So many of our Sacred Ground group discussions elicited a common reaction – “Gee, how come I didn’t learn about that in history classes?” Discussing the selected readings and videos openly with other participants consistently brought us new insights.