Dear Friends,
Once again, there is violence in our country. In a high school and on a university campus,
people were shot and killed. Once again, people stand on different sides of political spectrums
and shout slogans at each other. Once again, dialogue is missing, respect is missing, Christian
truth is missing. All sides spend more time perfecting their slogans than trying to understand
the rationale and life experience of those who are on the other side.
I am sad that what was so common as I was studying in college and graduate school has been
reduced to abbreviated phrases claiming to represent the entire argument. While I complained
about the massive amount of reading that was required of philosophy and theology majors, I
became aware it often required the reading of 600 pages to truly understand the intellectual
approach that was being proposed. We worked hard, in the past, to make sure that there was a
clear separation between the person and their intellectual argument. A person was not good or
bad because of a solid or flawed argument they held. Patience and hard work brought about
common understandings, not the number of likes you receive on social media.
There are so many suffering among us and in our world. Jesus teaches us to be like him and
notice the missing lamb, the lost coin, and the son who fell away. Our present political system
has been saying for a while now that they are no longer going to do the noticing of those who
are missing. If they are not going to notice, then the responsibility falls on you and me to notice
and reach out.
The phrase “All Lives Matter” emerged to counter movements that focused on unique groups.
While the assertion “all lives matter” is true, its use in this context often serves to undermine
and dismiss the specific struggles marginalized people face. The response fails to recognize the
unique historical and social contexts that caused the lamb to wander away. If lambs wander
away every day, then we should look at making some changes to make sure that does not keep
happening. All lives matter, but Jesus wanted us to focus on the one life that was in need at
that moment.
Shouting, “All houses matter” when a particular house is on fire ignores the urgent need for
intervention in a specific instance of crisis on a specific house. The US Bishops’ Conference has
long taught “the preferential option for the poor” that is found in Jesus’ teaching. This
perspective asserts that God’s love and justice are particularly directed toward those who are
suffering.
The preferential option for the poor acknowledges that while all lives are valuable, those who
are subjected to injustice require special attention and immediate response. This approach is
not about elevating one group over another but about recognizing disparities and actively
working to change them. We are called to solidarity with those who are suffering and to
demand justice in light of their specific circumstances.
Let us take the time this week to try to understand those who are different from us. Let us
notice those who are suffering. Let us be like Jesus and find those who are lost or have
wandered away.
Peace,
Fr. Damian