I've been thinking about the recent holiday we celebrated Juneteenth and the many steps we have taken toward reconciliation with our racist past and in many cases our present. I also read this morning about the struggles of Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, and of course the great Jackie Robinson. Although they were able to play their beloved sport of baseball, they were only allowed to do so for the Negro League Baseball. As Reggie Jackson returns today to Alabama, he says, "Coming back here is not easy. The racism that I (faced) here when I played here, the difficulty of going through different places that we traveled. Fortunately, I had a manager, and I had players on the team that helped me get through it. But I wouldn't wish it on anybody." Is Jesus calling us to be that manager or those players who answered the call to stand up for justice even if it meant risking their careers, their reputations, or perhaps even their lives?
We have made strives toward equity in opportunity for all; however, there is still a lot of work left for us to do. This pastoral letter Open Wide Our Hearts (2018) from the United States Conference of Bishops offers ways in which we as Catholics can advance Jesus' mission to love all of our neighbors. Jesus set the greatest example for us as he reached out to the marginalized, the oppressed, and the other. Open Wide Our Hearts.
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