Date: Wednesday, April 8th 
Scripture: 1 John 1:9 ”If we confess our sins, Christ is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
By The Very Rev. Dr. Amy D. Welin, Cathedral Church of St Stephen, Harrisburg, PA
Several years ago, in a faraway suburb, I was shocked when the convener of our pastors’ colleague group confessed to us. “I must tell you all, I am racist. I repent, and will spend my life making amends for this.” This minister was well-respected, devoted to justice and service to the poor. In the conversation that followed the stunned silence, we discussed the many ways in which individuals of European heritage can live privileged lives, insulated from the harsh realities that cause
suffering for our neighbors who are People of Color. We do not want to be racist. We are offended when someone suggests that we may be racist. Yet we swim in a cultural river that is racist. We are complicit unless we resist. What does racial justice look like to me this Lent?
Racial justice looks like repenting of the evil that has been done in my name (supporting legislative reform of mandatory minimum sentences) Racial justice looks like learning how to dismantle racist structures in church and in society (reading Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me and Lenny Duncan’s Dear Church and Ibram Kendi’s How to Be an Anti-Racist) Racial justice looks like stepping out of my comfortable tradition and visiting churches with membership that is largely People of Color. Racial justice means listening to painful stories with trust in the voice of the narrator. I confess that I have been complicit in racism. I ask forgiveness for my sins, usually committed in ignorance, and resolve with the help of God to work for racial justice.
Prayer: Dear God, guide us in the difficult work of racial reconciliation. Forgive us our transgressions and support us as we seek to repair relationships and undo racist systems. Amen.
Criminal Justice Fact: In 2010 Black people accounted for 11% of PA’s population but made up 43% of its prison population.
Action: Take this implicit association test in order to recognize the effect of internalized biases. Have conversations about your results with your friends. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
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