Many of us are sickened, saddened, and angry about the murder of George Floyd. Ongoing protests call for repentance of the racism that infects us and our systems like a virus. The events of the past 10 days invite questions for us at St. Timothy to ponder. What does Mr. Floyd’s death mean for us? There are perhaps more questions for us than answers at this point, but we often encounter God in the questions. Can we make space for these questions in our hearts and minds? Can learn to love God through them – and to love our neighbors as ourselves? There are many spiritual questions – questions about our own spirit, and questions about how we live in God’s Spirit now. As we continue, allow time and space for the discomfort of these questions as a spiritual practice that trusts God is not done. God can create new reality out of chaos (a reading from Genesis 1 for this Sunday).
At St. Timothy, these questions lead us to listen. Listening deeply and well will be an important way to accompany our brown and black neighbors in the days ahead. We will continue to work on anti-racism for our spiritual community and our lives. One of the quotes by Ijeoma Oluo can help us here: “The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward.” At St. Timothy, we will continue to fight racism in ourselves and our community. We will learn about our history, and how white people and government have looted black bodies, Native American lands and immigrant dreams for centuries. We will learn how racism warps the souls of people of color. We will learn how racism warps the souls of white people, too. We will learn about how we can walk alongside those who envision a new reality of justice with peace that redeems the present reality. There is plenty of work ahead, but God has brought people through liberation before. God led the people from bondage in Egypt to learn a new way of being God’s people. God is not done with us, but is at work to create new people.
In 1963, James Baldwin wrote a letter to his 14-year old nephew about race and identity on the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. (The letter is found in the book, “The Fire Next Time,” whose title comes from a Negro spiritual that says, “God gave Noah the rainbow sign/No more water, the fire next time!”) Baldwin says that society is set up to make black people (like his nephew) believe what white people say about them, but Baldwin assures his nephew that it testifies not to black inferiority but to white inhumanity and fear. Baldwin tells his nephew, “Know whence you came. If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go.” Baldwin tells his nephew – in full view of all this – that white people are “your brothers – your lost, younger brothers” (remember the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15). And he encourages his nephew “that we, with love, shall force our brothers to see themselves as they are, to cease fleeing from reality and to change it.” Part of our journey in anti-racism is to cease fleeing from reality so that in God’s Spirit, we may change it.
We know it’s a lot. We feel tired and drained, alternating with energized and ready for God’s guidance. We will be together with you, listening, learning, walking, and growing. Thanks for all the amazing ways that you continue to share the love of Christ in your lives!
– Pastors Hans and Liesl
