In the one Spirit
we were all baptized into one body.
—1 Corinthians 12.13
One Body.
We are all fingers of one hand,
one Spirit moving through us
in all our different ways.
The lie that we are separate is our first sin.
Our denial does not negate our unity;
our obliviousness does not remove us
from the one body.
There is no other;
we are that one; they are us.
Unless we weep with those who weep,
or rage with those who rage, we betray the Spirit.
Until we ourselves are the one lying handcuffed, black,
with a white person's knee on our throat
we do not have the Holy Spirit,
but the spirit of denial.
Until we see our own knee on that throat,
we blaspheme against the Spirit.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will awaken us
to our oneness,
that we may love our neighbor
as ourselves,
for that they are.
Steve Garnaas-Holmes is a United Methodist pastor in Massachusetts. He’s served churches for 37 years, mostly in Montana and New Hampshire. He’s also lived in South Dakota, California, Washington and Minnesota. He and his wife, Beth, have three grown sons whom they love dearly. Steve often lead retreats on prayer, poetry and renewing our language about God. He describes himself as “trying to be here now.” You can read more of Steve’s writing on his website here.
For a growing list of resources for the spiritual work of overcoming racism, we invite you to visit UpperRoom.org/OvercomingRacism.
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