Words Have Consequences.


Let’s begin with a story…

 

History was made in the baseball world in 1947. It was in that year that Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues. The Brooklyn Dodgers’ owner, Branch Rickey, told Robinson, “It’ll be tough on you. You are going to take a lot of abuse, be ridiculed, and receive more verbal punishment than you ever thought possible.” Rickey continued, “But I’m willing to back you all the way if you have the determination to make it work.”

 

In short order, Robinson experienced Rickey’s gloomy prediction. He was abused verbally and physically as players intentionally ran him down. The crowed was quick with racial slurs and deriding comments. Opponents, as well as his own teammates, ridiculed Robinson.

 

Around mid-season, Robinson was having a particularly horrendous day. He had fumbled several grounders, overthrown first base, and batted poorly. The crowd that day was especially nasty. Then something miraculous happened. In front of the critical crowd, Pee Wee Reese, the team captain, walked over from his shortstop position and put his arm around Jackie Robinson.

 

Robinson later reflected, “That simple gesture saved my career. Pee Wee made me feel as if I belonged.”

 

In today’s Gospel, Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, Jesus says: “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.”

 

Racial and cultural discrimination are nothing new. They are as old as the Bible. And, the names and faces and circumstances may change, but hatred never seems to disappear.

 

Earlier this week, I received an interesting email that contained information that could easily be distributed—information about constitutional rights in our nation. In both English and Spanish, the information is printed on little cards that offer the following advice…

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You have constitutional rights:

·      DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR if an immigration agent is knocking on the door.

·      DO NOT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS from an immigration agent if they try to talk to you. You have the right to remain silent.

·      DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING without first speaking to a lawyer. You have the right to speak with a lawyer.

·      If you are outside of your home, ask the agent if you are free to leave and if they say yes, leave calmly.

·      GIVE THIS CARD TO THE AGENT. If you are inside of your home, show the card through the window or slide it under the door.

 

On the reverse side of the card, it says…

 

I do not wish to speak with you, answer your questions, or sign or hand you any documents based on my 5th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution.

 

I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my 4th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution unless you have a warrant to enter, signed by a judge or magistrate with my name on it that you slide under the door.

 

I do not give you permission to search any of my belongings based on my 4th Amendment rights.

 

I choose to exercise my constitutional rights.

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Pope Francis recently sent a strongly worded letter to the Catholic bishops of the United States in which he denounced the mass deportation of migrants…The letter also stated that Francis disagrees with identifying the illegal status of migrants with criminality, and called on the bishops to “walk together” and defend the human dignity of the migrants in their country. He told the bishops that “the rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality…. The act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness…. The act of deportation is not a minor issue.” He emphasized that “an authentic rule of law is verified precisely in the dignified treatment that all people deserve especially the poorest and most marginalized.”

 

As you can see, Jesus’ teaching has consequences. His words are not meant to be stored in some kind of religious museum. The words he uses—“hate,” “exclude,” “insult,” and “denounce”—such words contradict everything Jesus and his teaching stand for. Such teaching doesn’t apply only to the inside of a church. They point especially to the attitudes and convictions we bring with us when we exit these hallowed doors. The primary commandment to love means that we must denounce words and actions that lead us to hate, exclude, insult and denounce. In Jesus’ name we refuse to hate. No, we Christians love, include, speak well of others, and raise them up. The surest way that others will know we are Christians is by our love. Otherwise, the words Jesus uses and teaches are merely words on a printed page, nothing more.

 

 

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