Justice Matters: His-shuk-nish-tsa-waak

World-wide countries and people seem to be growing apart, becoming more fragmented, more isolationist or more violent.   In contrast, our second reading on Sunday says that when we are in Christ, “there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew slave or free …. There is only Christ… and he is in everything”. 

Does that one-ness come from being Christian – or from being human?  It is surely the latter. The Pope apologised this week, to the first nations of Canada, making that answer clear.  In  his encyclicals Pope Francis wrote about how all people are united as part of the Earth, acknowledging the many indigenous people whose spirituality connects them to the earth and each other.

(Watch CAFOD video by clicking on the picture above.)

See     There is so much strife in the world as truth is perverted to seek political goals. Russia denies the humanity of Ukrainians, Israel of Palestinians, China of Uyghurs,….  White supremacists oppress the blacks, the rich the poor, the powerful the powerless, the misogynists women,…. Republicans yell at Democrats as un-American, while lining up to support conspiracy theories and a liar who still seeks to subvert American democracy. Some UK politicians applauded from the House of Commons a Prime Minister whose acquaintance with truth was erratic, fleeting and tactical.  Populist leaders create division and make fake promises. UK politics seems to spiral deeper into dysfunction and stridency - we are losing the ability to debate gracefully even in the same political party.  In elections facts seem subordinate to gut-feelings that do not express the core of what it is to be human, but come from disorder.

The violence and isolationism that results amplifies the vulnerability of millions to the climate and other ecological emergencies – at the very time when united action is needed and as the UK is  cutting aid to countries in need.

Reflect    North America, before its settlers engaged in slavery and white supremacism, was founded with ethnic cleansing of the indigenous people.    In webinars about justice issues,  with folk from the US or Canada it is now common for a speaker to acknowledge that history, beginning with a pattern like this - here imagining a speaker from Tofino, near Vancouver, “ I live on the land of the Tia-o-qui-aht people on Turtle Island.”  The historic injustices  are being recognised. 

So much of our own heritage is related to profits of  slavery.   Catholics in past centuries used to advocate the “Doctrine of Discovery” [1], [2] promoting colonization.

Let’s listen to greetings and wisdom from around the globe….

From Hawaii: “Aloha!” – “may the breath of life and the spirit of unity be with you.”

From Africa: “Ubuntu” - "I am because we are”

From the indigenous Tia-o-qui-aht people near Vancouver:  “His-shuk - nish-tsa-waak” :  “everything is one!” 

From Jews: “Shalom”: “May you know the unity of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfilment, and delight”.

From Nepal: “Namaste”: “I salute the God within you”

From Palestine: “I would like you to work for justice for us – but I ask you to work for justice for someone, for we are all connected” –  that from the sister of a man murdered by an Israeli soldier; denied access to water and her fields.

Act     How can we act against present injustices? We can….

Pray – for this is a spiritual battle. We can be open to the eco-conversion called for by Pope Francis, that unites us to each other and to all the Earth.

Continue to love in our daily small ways – actions through which Christ touches and heals the world.

If you can, write to challenge politicians and media when they stoke division and deny truth. Also write to support and encourage the many politicians who do promote justice.

Mike Mineter