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A healthy conscience against racism has been awakened worldwide following a sad event: On May 25, 2020, African American George Floyd lost his life under the asphyxiating knee of Aryan police officer Derek Chauvin.

However, the demonstrations against racism have taken a worrying turn. Some protesters have vented their anger at the abuses committed by whites against blacks to the point of attacking historical figures of the caliber of Christopher Columbus and Juan Ponce de Leon. Their statues have been vandalized in Miami.

The anti-racist exaggeration has been traced back to the sacred historical figures of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. Activist Shaun King advocates for the destruction of stained glass windows and images of Jesus, Mary and the apostles because, he says, they symbolize white supremacy.

That man ignores that Christianity was born in the Middle East, a crossroads of continents and races. The biblical characters were not blue-eyed blond-haired people. However, European artists sought to inculturate the Christian faith by depicting the Savior and his Immaculate Mother with racial characteristics specific to the environment in which they lived. This explains why the great works of art exhibited in museums such as the Vatican, Prado and Louvre, to mention but a few, represent Jesus and Mary as white, and also incur anachronisms related to architecture and clothing.

King also ignores that in Far Eastern countries such as Japan, Korea and China there are churches where the sacred images of Jesus and Mary have distinctly Oriental color and facial features. The same is true of the statues and pious images sculpted and painted in Africa, which show Jesus and Mary as black. It is a way of emphasizing that the Son of God became incarnate to save all the peoples of the world.

There is a famous American actor of indefinable racial complexion named Vin Diesel. When a journalist asked him about his ethnic origins, he replied that he was of the human race. Just as it is not a sin to be born black, neither is it a sin to be born white, Asian or mixed race. Racial prejudice will end when all men and women on the planet consider themselves and others as simply human.

Comments from readers

Gustavo - 08/03/2020 06:46 PM
Dear Father, excellent article. The only thing I will add is the anarchy going on in the liberal run cities has nothing to do with racism. It is an attempt by the communists/socialist democratic party to overthrow Western civilization- if you go, to the BLM website, it is all there for everyone to see. They plan to destroy the family (as God intended). And supplant it with one built on gay sex.
Addy Hall - 08/03/2020 02:11 PM
You stated in the written blog: "Racial prejudice will end when all men and women on the planet consider themselves and others as simply human." I must add when men and women see each other as equal and "simply human" God's Creation deserving love and respect! Christ said "Love thy neighbors as yourself" and "Love your enemies". That is the true CHRISTIAN WAYS! We must respect each other's culture and opinions because only to God the judgment!
HECTOR GONZALEZ - 08/03/2020 12:58 PM
Since my childhood I had a great devotion to Our Lady of Monserrat present at the "Ermita Catalana" out of Havana. In Spain, a visit to Monserrat, out of Barcelona and in Madrid at Monserrat Monastery at the center of the city increased my devotion to Our Lady, made of ebony, black wood, or darkened by centuries of fumes from candles, finally totally black painted, even her eyes and the eyes of the Infant Jesus.. This facts have told me that God comes in all colors. Believe or not.
Deacon Vince Eberling - 08/03/2020 12:54 PM
We will not be judged by our words but our actions will condemn us.Time and again we as a Church and as a society do not act to eradicate the root cause of racism. We react by condemning the extremists, as we should and then ignore the true underlying problem which is the basis for our faith ("Love one another as I have loved you"). WE start out in the right direction but then the momentum fades. Time after time when the cycle of poverty and hopelessness leads to social unrest we repeat the cycle. Racism is insane. Our response is insane. Repeating a failed response over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Living as Christ taught us is the only way out of this insanity.
Rodolfo M Bello - 08/03/2020 11:18 AM
The article is well focused and so comprehensive, it is tough to assess Racism in this time around, there are people wrong in good faith, however the majority behave wrongly maliciously. All the kudos for the author of this article/
edward o donovan - 08/03/2020 10:17 AM
Couldn't agree more. However, if we continue to allow these misinformed people to refuse to accept respect for all human beings we will continue to have our sacred icons and statues destroyed and God help us the children of the next generation will have to carry guns to protect themselves and their property.
Valli Leone - 08/03/2020 10:04 AM
Yes, we thank the Lord for this healthy conscience that is being raised up in communities everywhere around the world. We cannot allow extremists on both sides to detract and distract us from the truth that unconscious bias and selective amnesia exists among all races. When the hearts and the lives, however, of our black sisters and brothers are burning from the hatred that persists, we must run to the rescue—just as we would save any of God’s children, especially our own, from being harmed, brutally tormented and murdered in cold blood. Some of Jesus’ last words in prayer to the Father were, “Father, make them one.” Life is a gift. Skin and skin color is a gift from God. I seriously doubt that our Lord cares so much about statues and stained glass as much as he cares about showing us how to love in the true meaning of the word.. Whatever skin color Jesus, Mary and Joseph were, the color of their hearts and souls was the color of water – – pure, cleansing, refreshing and life-giving. Shouldn’t our hearts be the same? Come, Holy Spirit! Purify our hearts with more faith, hope and love than this world has ever known. Be glorified, Lord Jesus Christ—for the honor of our ONE Father in Heaven. Change our hearts, oh God; make them ever true. No more lip service! No more flag waving, if our hearts are not right with you first, oh Lord. We pledge our full allegiance to You, the Author and Giver of Life, Love and Eternity. Thank you for showing us how to make America truly the beautiful place you meant it to be. It’s all about and for you, our King. Alleluia! Amen. ✝️⚓️💜
Patricia York Beebe - 08/03/2020 09:56 AM
If only his words would make it to the extreme ears everywhere! 💖🙏

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