Recently on the Women of Grace Live radio program, we received a letter from Angela, who shared her heart-wrenching story with Johnnette. She and her husband had recently experienced racism first hand. Through her pain and fear, Angela was able to pray for her persecutors, but asked Johnnette to intercede that they would understand their role going forward and for justice to prevail in their situation.
In response to Angela’s letter, Johnnette affirmed the Catholic Church’s teaching that racism is indeed a sin. She invited each of us to do an examination of our own consciences, in regard to these issues:
• How do I treat people who are ethnically different than I am?
• How do I treat people with whom I hold a differing opinion?
• How much does my upbringing affect my perspective?
She reminded us that each of us, regardless of the color of our skin, our ethnic origin, our political position, or our religious beliefs, are to treat each and every human person as brothers and sisters. We are all individuals made in the image and likeness of God, chosen by Him from all of eternity to have Divine Life and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit within them. God desires every person’s salvation that they might live with Him in heaven forever. She concluded in prayer:
Father, we pray now for the brokenness of this nation. We pray Lord God for the persecution that to some extent all of us are experiencing in various ways, some more egregiously than others. We ask for the grace to respond to hate with your love and mercy. Revive us Lord and release the tension that exists between us. We pray for restoration, renewal and healing right now. We ask that your HolyPresence would come down upon us and remove the cataracts our eyes that we might see clearly and not not through the lens by which we have been culturized, but rather that we see through your heavenly gaze, through Your Eyes of love and wisdom. May we move forward in reconciliation, choosing the better part each day, always living according to your holy plan and will for us. We desire unity in the mystical Body of Christ and unity among all men and women. We offer this prayer to You in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by the merits of His Cross, through the power of the Holy Spirit and with the maternal beatitude and intercession of Our Blessed Lady. Amen.
Please join us again this week as we gather online for our Rosary Crusade for the Soul of Our Nation. Pick up your weapon, the Rosary, and pray with us on Wednesday at 4PM ET.
Below are resources to assist you and your loved ones in voting with an informed conscience.
Click the image below to join and if you’ve already registered, you should receive a reminder link directly from Zoom. Please be sure to share the information below with your friends and family!
