Religion That is Pure and Undefiled
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Our world needs healing from racism and injustice, but it starts with us. In addition to praying for peace and an end to racism, injustice, violence and hatred, here are 5 ways we can help heal racism individually:
1) Call out and omit racist remarks and language from your families. It's not OK for any faithful person to talk this way. Many prejudiced beliefs start in the family which then translate into actions later. We have to look at our own families first, and rid the filth from mouths and hearts.
2) Befriend others of a different race (and different ability, background, socioeconomic status, etc.). Companionship heals and unifies across boundaries - I've seen it in my own life. From a young age, I’ve had at least one friend of a different race and it’s made a difference in my life. In my adult years, it has expanded to soul-friends who share a common Christian or Catholic perspective. You can’t stay inside your white “bubble.”
3) Go through unconscious bias training. It's "a thing" in a corporate world and everyone needs to go through it. It's life and mind changing. We need to recognize and confront the biases we carry inside our minds that the environment has contributed to. We all have them, and they influence our words and behaviors.
4) Volunteer and serve others who are different from you and your heart will be opened more widely and less narrowly. We make a lot of assumptions without encountering real people, understanding community dynamics, and walking alongside those suffering injustice. Getting out and serving is critical to being a healing presence in the world and changing biased beliefs.
5) Embrace non-violent resolution of conflict everywhere. Notice the violence in your own actions (passive aggression, gossip, bias, anger, ostracism, etc.) and change. It’s present all around us. We all can own that...everyday. Are we truly a people of peace?
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, certified health and life coach, and volunteer. She is the creator of the ministry Women in Waiting | Made for Fruitfulness and is a published author. Her writing interests and focus areas include Gospel reflections, Franciscan spirituality, women's spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and daily living.
