St. Peter Claver
One: The Resurrection
Today is the Feast Day of St. Peter Claver, a 17th Century saint who has much to teach our modern culture about serving others, courage, and love in the face of evil. St. Peter was a Jesuit priest from Spain, but studied in Columbia, at the time a Spanish colony. The city Peter lived in was one of the largest slave ports in the new world. Ten thousand slaves came through the port each year. Soon after beginning his studies, Peter began to explore the town. He was deeply disturbed by the harsh treatment and living conditions of the slaves. By this time, the slave trade had been established for over 100 years, and, despite the condemnation of Popes from Paul the III to Pius IX, who called slavery “The supreme villainy,” many so-called Christians turned a blind eye, or even participated in the buying and selling of men. Faced with the atrocities of slavery, Peter chose not to ignore, but to take action as he could. Despite the stench and detestable conditions in the hulls of the infamous slave ships, Peter rushed into the ships as soon as they came in, bringing what food, drink and medicine he could afford. Peter witnessed the love of Jesus to these men and women who endured some of the worst conditions known to man. He desired to bring faith, hope and love in these places of darkness and suffering that seemed far removed from God. St. Peter Claver, we ask for your intercession today. Help us to see how we can rise from the tombs of racism, hatred, and disregard for human dignity, to the new life of love and care for one another.
Two: The Ascension
St Peter Claver is not a saint because of his incredible deeds alone. He is a saint because he loved Jesus with the entirety of his being, and, as a result, loved his neighbor selflessly. During his 40 years of ministry it is estimated that he personally catechized and baptized 300,000 Africans who had been abducted into slavery. He would then continue his relationship with them, doing what he could to ensure they received their Christian and civil rights. In these times of public unrest and world-wide uncertainty, we may find it hard to remember that God sees all and knows the best way for me to fight the evil of the world. We need to remind ourselves to listen to His advice He gave through his son. “Love one another as I have loved you.” I alone cannot fix the world, but I can, in my own way, become a witness of the love of Christ to others. But the only way to witness Christ is to first receive His love. This is what St. Peter Claver did. We must choose each day to encounter those around us, our friends and our rivals, our insiders and our outsiders, with the same love and care we would give to Jesus—especially the poor, the vulnerable and the socially marginalized. As St. Peter Claver said, we must seek God in all things, and we shall find God by our side.”
Three: The Descent of the Holy Spirit
In the last years of his life Peter was too ill to leave his room. After 40 years of serving heroically in the hulls of these hell ships, he lingered for four years, largely forgotten and neglected, physically abused and starved. He never complained about his treatment and continued to show kindness and care for all around, even those who should have been taking care of him. He died on 8 September 1654. His saintly life reveals the depths of his motives, motives that are aptly described in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church: “The Lord Jesus is the prototype and foundation of the new humanity. In Him, the true “likeness of God” (2 Cor 4:4), man—who is created in the image of God—finds fulfillment. In the definitive witness of love that God has made manifest in the cross of Christ, all the barriers of enmity have already been torn down. For those who live a new life in Christ, racial and cultural differences are no longer causes of division.” Holy Spirit descend upon us and show us the areas in our life where we struggle or refuse to look upon the other as bearing the image of Jesus. May we, as Christ on the Cross, have the courage in the midst of our suffering to forgive and love those who hurt and dislike us.
Four: The Assumption
Open Wide Our Hearts, the Pastoral Letter on Racism from the US Bishops offers this goal for living in unity as a people: “What is needed, and what we are calling for, is a genuine conversion of heart, a conversion that will compel change, and reform our institutions and society.” (p. 4.) Conversion is a long road and a difficult process but one in which we all must commit in order to live as children of glory and the liberty of the Gospel. So often I forget that when I point my finger at others, even when their sins seem to rise to heaven, there are three fingers pointing right back at me. Therefore, Jesus teaches us not to focus on the splinter in our brother’s eye but the plank in our own. St. Peter Claver lived just such a life, as have all the reforming saints. They followed the only way to true reform, conversion of heart overflowing into a love for others. Institutions need to be reformed because they are made up of sinners. Do I offer my prayers and penances for the conversion of sinners, and do I love them, even when they disagree with me on politics, ethics or religion? Mother Mary, pray for the conversion of our hearts and the purification of our moral imaginations so we can be delivered from any false belief that cause us to see difference as a threat rather than as a gift.
Five: The Coronation
We often hear the term, “social justice,” and for good reason; justice doesn’t just apply to individuals but to societies as well. But Jesus teaches us something very unusual about the virtue of justice. He teaches that we can’t live by justice alone.
“You have heard that it said, ‘an eye for an eye… Love your neighbor[ and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
This is what makes His sermon on the mount so radical—he calls on us to embrace mercy and peace-making, even with our enemies, as this is the only way to divine happiness. I can say with absolute assurance that I myself do not want to be judged with strict terms of justice. I can tell you that if I were judged strictly by justice, I would go to hell. Instead, I want to be judged with mercy. Catholicism is built on both -and’s: Both God and Man, both faith and works, both now and forever, both Justice and mercy. So let us speak of both social justice and Social Mercy, and live it. What do I mean by social mercy? Repaying hate with kindness, indifference with love, intolerance with fraternal correction. It is Mercy that saves, mercy that transforms the heart; mercy that heals and accomplishes the miraculous; Mercy that draws the godless to God. If the world seems helpless, full of too much fear and hatred to bear, I encourage you to turn off the TV, unplug from the internet, and pray, especially the rosary, read scripture, and look to God for help. Ask for Him to heal, restore, and unite our society and culture as only He can, through mercy. And let it begin with me!