Day 16: From Indifference to Mercy
“All lives matter.”
“My family didn’t own slaves.”
“I don’t see color. I see people.”
“My parents worked hard for everything we have.”
“What about black on black crime?”
“This is just another case of a few bad apples ruining the bunch.”
“Don’t play the race card.”
Do we cloak ourselves in the linens of indifference?
If Luke’s parable were unfolding today, these fragments of thought and speech could be things that those who “receive what is good” in our lifetimes might say—to ourselves, to others, or even to God—when we come face to face with the sores of racism on bodies and in spirits as near to us as the doorways of our churches and universities, our classrooms and offices, our homes and residence halls.
Like purple garments of righteous authority, indifference defends us against the pain of folks who lament that something is profoundly wrong with the way things are.
Like fine linens that soothe and comfort, indifference cloaks us in a false assurance of our own innocence, keeping us from seeing ourselves in the twisted roots of racism in our culture and our Church.
And like any sumptuous meal, indifference sends us into a food coma that compromises our vigilance for the prophetic messengers already among us, the Lazarus whose proximity to God’s tender mercy names the very privilege of our indifference.
Today Luke reminds us that the embrace of mercy can transform indifference into gratitude for the chance to offer our unique gifts to the work of bridging the racial chasm separating us from our deepest selves, each other, and the bosom of God.
Reflection Questions
- Where do I feel the temptation of indifference in my own life?
- Who are the prophets God has sent to interrupt my indifference? What are they saying to me? How can I respond?
Maureen H. O’Connell is Associate Professor of Christian Ethics in the Department of Religion and Theology at La Salle University. She recently published Undoing the Knots: Five Generations of American Catholic Anti-Blackness with Beacon Press.
Maureen H. O’Connell es profesora asociada de ética cristiana en el departamento de religión y teología de la Universidad La Salle. Recientemente publicó Undoing the Knots: Five Generations of American Catholic Anti-Blackness con Beacon Press.
I just saw this short video clip. It was posted on Sojouners. It comes from a TV program called; “Blackish.” I am thinking that this is appropriate for our Lenten Jouney, Please let me know what you think.
https://sojo.net/articles/less-two-minutes-clip-blackish-explains-why-racism-america-isn-t-over
Karen, thank you for posting this. It was very moving and SO appropriate for our Lenten journey and our Life journey. If we could only remember to walk in each other’s shoes……