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Opinion: A Christian’s reflection on race in these difficult times

By JACOB HAMM
Guest columnist

Thursday, May 28, 2020 — The tragic death of George Floyd brings some things to mind. Last week at our church in Louisville an elderly black homeless man walked into the building straight to the front. He walked in and sat down before the altar. After Mass, this fellow came out, smoked a cigarette with an Irishman I was speaking to and spoke to us.

He said, “ I’m a black Catholic. My family has been for three generations. The Church doesn’t care about black or white to join. It’s one place that doesn’t care.” He smiled and walked on down the road.

Isn’t it true though? As a Christian, I belong to the most inclusive, ancient institution on the earth. Our saints were from all different lands and people. Our Lord himself was a Jew, as were the early disciples. When some of the early Christians believed the gospel was only for their own race, the Apostle Paul rebuked them and told them that Christ was for all men, “the Jew first and also the Gentile”.

It is important to remember these things during these times of seemingly great racial conflict. The story of the Good Samaritan is one of my favorite stories from the Gospels. It shows that man can transcend his tightly held racial prejudice for a deeper spiritual existence built on charity. The story is about a man who was beaten and left for dead by robbers on a highway. Many of the religious and political elite of his own race walked by, leaving him in his agony. One individual, however, of an ethnic group that was despised in that region, bandaged him, cared for him, and even paid for his stay at an inn.

Our Lord told this story as an example of the transcendent power of charity. No man is perfect in this arena, but those of us who follow the teachings of Christ must try to reach that heavenly perfection like the Saints before us.

I truly believe the only answers for the many different cultures, tribes, races, and people of the earth today to get along well is to embody the teachings of charity of Our Lord and recognize we are all God’s children with our own purposes and destiny in this divine plan called “life”.

Editor’s note: Jacob Hamm is a resident of the Fairfield community.

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