3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle A
January 22, 2023 – 5pm and 8:30am
Our Lady of Grace Saint Parish, Parkton
The Holocaust Museum: Lessons
Several years ago, I visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. Probably many of you have been there.
As you know, the Museum is a memorial especially to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust in the 1940s. This genocide by the Nazis killed 6 million Jews.
The Holocaust eventually included others, like citizens of Poland and the Soviet Union, gypsies, homosexual and disabled persons, and others. The Nazis exterminated a total of 11 million people.
As I slowly walked through the Museum, I found myself sad, almost overwhelmed. At times I became aware that I was just shaking my head “No!” in disbelief.
Now, I am recalling this experience in view of the increasing number of anti-Semitic incidents in our country. Reports tell us that in the year 2021, there were 2,700 anti-Semitic incidents of harassment, assault, and vandalism.
This was the highest annual number ever reported. It represents an increase of 34% over the prior year, 2020.
I think about this in relation to today’s gospel. Jesus is the “great light” foretold by the prophets.
We, as disciples and persons of faith, are also to be a light in our world. One thing this must mean is that we are alert to things like anti-Semitism and that we ourselves do not participate in this.
We need to be a light in darkness. So, with this in mind, I have two reflections.
1. Words Are Powerful
First, our words are powerful.
The words we speak and the words we write or text or email – these can be very powerful. We need to be very aware of this.
For example, have you ever said something and the moment it is out of your mouth, you wish you could take it back? Maybe in frustration, we said to a teenager: “You’re never going to amount to anything.”
Or to someone: “You’re a lazy waste of time!” Or: “You’re a good-for-nothing blankedy blank.”
Our words can help a person develop and grow. Or they can freeze a person right where they are and even send them backwards.
Our words can build up self-esteem and self-confidence. Or they can tear it down and injure someone for a lifetime.
Our words can give positive vision to a group or entire race of people. Or they can lead those same people into destructive ways.
So, I am suggesting, we have to pause, reflect, and go within ourselves before we speak. We have to get in touch with our true inner self and with God who is within us.
We have to consider the effects of our words for today and tomorrow and the future. And then, we have to decide what to say and when to say it and how to say it.
So, knowing that our words have such power is very important. We need to use our words in a thoughtful way.
2. Negative Stereotypes Are Destructive
My second reflection is related to the first and really flows from it.
Negative stereotyping is always destructive. And it is always wrong.
This is what happened in Nazi Germany and what caused the Holocaust. Thoughtless and hurtful words were applied to the Jews.
These words and labels led to negative stereotyping. In that instance, we know the horrific results.
Some scholars tell us that negative stereotyping arises from the human temptation to scapegoat. We unfairly blame another person or an entire category of persons for our problems and that’s what scapegoating is.
So, we need to resist negative stereotyping of others. Today, it might be directed to Jews or to Hispanic immigrants, to women or to African Americans, to LGBTQ persons or to Muslims.
We need to have the inner strength not to participate in this. In fact, we need to label it as morally wrong.
And in doing that, we will be a light to the world and really living our faith in Jesus Christ. We will be a light in darkness.
And we will be doing this by resisting hateful words and negative stereotyping. We will do this by respecting others as persons with feelings and needs and hopes much like our own.
