Each of us has many parts within ourselves that make us who we are. In the same way, each person on this earth makes up the body of Christ. Just as we care for our own bodies, so we should muster the same intentional, attentive care for each member of the body of Christ.
While at a Catholic conference this past December, I came to realize that I had been neglecting parts of the One I claimed to love. As a Christian, I believe that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three Persons in one God. But I had long forgotten to pray to the Holy Spirit, and in that moment of realization I sensed that God was asking me to get to know that aspect of him more deeply. But I left it at that, purchased some Holy Spirit artwork for my prayer space, and went about my life.
Our God, still wanting to be known, painfully snapped me back to the reality of his being through the workings of the Holy Spirit and the woundedness of Christ’s body. Several weeks ago, the Black Lives Matter movement resurfaced more powerfully than ever before in light of the killing of George Floyd. I don’t know about you, but I felt deeply pained to know that fellow human beings, who belong to the body of Christ, are treated unjustly due to a part of them that shapes their life experience and is an important part of who they are – the color of their skin. I could not stop thinking that as a disciple of Christ, I should be loving, including, and fighting for those members of Christ’s body – our body – that are hurting.
In response, I dove into the tools I had nearest at hand (social media) and immediately encountered people who made it seem like I should to be doing everything in response to injustice (signing petitions, reading, donating, posting/sharing resources, having conversations, protesting, etc.) and doing all these things well. As an individual, that is nearly impossible – but I wanted to do it all. I tried until the enemy began to whisper lies and discouragement in my ear. I realized that I had forgotten the important step of praying first in order to successfully bear fruit from this resurfaced conviction of desiring to know God fully and work for justice for the members of his body.
On the day of Pentecost, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me in the words of the Sunday readings, “There are different forms of action but the same cause.” I felt so encouraged. We don’t have to do it all. We should each embrace our unique combinations of gifts, both spiritual and secular, for these gifts make up who we are – and we make up who Christ is on this earth. Through prayer, the Holy Spirit helps us discern the ways in which we are called to help those who have been oppressed. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit gives us the graces we need to work through the tough truths that we may encounter on this journey towards truly loving our Black brothers and sisters.
While it might be uncomfortable and discouraging at times, this journey is good. Like the apostles on that first Pentecost, we are not being sent to do this on our own. As we learn to care for each member of the body of Christ in a deeper way, let us draw close to the Holy Spirit and let him lead us forward.
Reflection by Guadalupe Zamora '18
