Opinion

In the streets of Washington, D.C., we have seen religion used as a political prop and we have seen it exercise its prophetic voice.

Amid the recent marches in all 50 states and several other countries against racial injustices, we’ve seen the crumbling of some of the building blocks of white supremacy. Literally.

Please and thank you are phrases that we all are used to saying. We say them so much that they may seem like formalities. Even if they are formalities, they are important to say and hear. In a way, Psalm 116 emphasizes the importance of “please and thank you” in our relationship with God. 

In my lifetime, I have never seen more white people involved in the deep and growing movement to address systemic racism, structural injustice on many fronts, and, specifically, the violent policing and killing of black people. Never. What does that mean? What will it change — and how?

I took part in a racial justice protest in New York City. It was lively and joyous and passionate — until police ran up from behind, cornered a group of us and detained us, assaulting people in the process.

COVID-19 has created an avalanche of death, disease, suffering, and uncertainty. One helpful coping device is to find the positives in the midst of all the tragedy. I sat down recently and listed some takeaways. See if you can relate.

It played out like a scene straight out of Isaiah 6. Apocalyptic, vision-like stuff. But then the script changed.

In this season of uncertainty, let us take a moment to reflect on what sort of habits are shaped by the world and how we might release them in exchange for better, transformational habits.

As we pass the horrifying milestone of 100,000 American deaths to the coronavirus, we’re using the hashtag #Lament100k to urge people to pause — to lament. Of course, the sentiment falls short. As a friend said to me, we can’t abbreviate all these lives; we have to try to feel all 100,000 of them.

While the coronavirus is an equal opportunity killer, the poor and people of color are disproportionately suffering and dying from COVID-19. These communities were least prepared to respond to the virus for reasons rooted in racism and inequality.