A friend posted this image on Facebook today. It's from the Jesuit Church of St. Francis Xavier's livestream Pentecost mass this morning, part, apparently, of a powerful recognition of the call of this moment. It began with names - George
Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery - and continued with other names - Eric Gardner, Amadou Diallo. We can all supply more, if not close to all the casualties of the institutionalized violence and structural racism which the preacher called out for what they are, sin. My friend's reflection on it ended:I don't know where all this goes. I don't know what's happening in other churches Catholic and non-Catholic this weekend. I don't know what they're saying in the Diocese of Lincoln [Nebraska, where my friend grew up], where a building near the police station went up in flames last night. All I know is, they better be saying something, and it better be inspired by the Holy Spirit, and not the spirit of whiteness.
