Desolation
I was talking with a friend who is White and has an African American stepson. When he accompanied his son to urgent care, he gave in the insurance information at the reception desk. The woman at the desk kept looking into the waiting room, looking past my friend’s stepson. She said to him, “I need to ask your son some questions– where is he?” His stepson was the only young man in the waiting room and they were sitting next to each other. He said, “He’s right here.” The receptionist said in a sharp tone while pointing to my friend’s stepson, “Well, how was I supposed to know it’s him?” My friend said he really wanted to say something mean, but he simply said, “You didn’t ask and there is no other young person in this waiting room. Why didn’t you know?” The receptionist stormed back to her desk and mumbled under her breath. My friend said that if there had been another urgent care nearby, he would take his stepson elsewhere, but because he had such a bad cough and a high fever, he wanted to get him medicine right away. I told my friend that I am sorry that happened. He sighed and said, “As you can imagine, it’s not the first time….and I know it won’t be the last.”
Consolation
I was happy to be able to sing with my parish choir for this year’s Triduum at St. Francis Xavier in Manhattan. At the Easter Vigil, 8 people were Baptized and 12 Confirmed. I am always grateful to pray there, but I am equally grateful that those who entered the Church at Xavier and across the world are from many ethnic and racial groups. Jesus invites everyone to a relationship with him regardless of the color of their skin or their ethnicity. That reality brings me great joy, and especially during this Easter season, a wonderful reason to say “Hallelujah!”
This month’s reflection was provided by Boreta Singleton, an Apostolic Novice of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. If you would like to volunteer to provide an upcoming reflection, please contact Jason Downer, SJ: downerjg@lemoyne.edu.
The views and opinions expressed in this reflection do not necessarily reflect those of Jesuits USA East.
