Creating Something New

In today's first reading, 1 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18. St. Peter says to  us:

          "Beloved: Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
           "Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.
          "Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

My heart is comforted to be reminded that "we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."  As of late and throughout the history of the U.S., we have seen such horrible injustices toward men and women of color and all peoples who are not white.  Unrighteous behaviors and racists attitudes have gripped the country for eons!  What people throughout the U.S. are asking is that this stops!  Let us not wait until "the heavens [are] dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire."  Righteousness must begin now by us here in the flesh!  God, I believe, is being patient with us! But let us not become complacent!  Now is the time of salvation! Now is the time to repent of our racist attitudes, our mistreatment of black men and women! Now is the time to stand up to racism, to confront it within ourselves if it exists there!  May this be the moment going forward that no one tolerates police brutality or brutality from anyone! The violence must stop: verbal, physical, sexual, spiritual!  Enough is enough! 

May each one of us take seriously St. Peter's call that we "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ." Only then will we stop racism, sexism, and any other "ism" that violates every person's right to be treated with respect, to be loved and cherished as a child of God and who, no matter the color of one's skin, is, in the sight of God, God's beloved child, one with whom God is madly in love.