Reflecting on Tuesday evening

Jim Wallis wrote a moving piece about his response to Barak Obama’s speech Tuesday night. Jim recalled the racial situation of our childhood years and called this a transformational moment.
As I read the beautiful comments posted in response, I was surprised by how many people said they – like Jim – had tears running down their faces as they heard Barak’s speech Tuesday night. I was among them.
I hope that all of us – Republican, Democrat, and other – will pause to celebrate the significance of these days, and I trust that we Americans will seize the moment to strengthen our common bonds and further heal from our racially divided past … rather than let the inevitable heat of the election cause racial tensions to simmer again.
The recent xenophobic violence in South Africa reminds us – especially those of us who are part of the white majority – that we must “pursue what makes for peace” and seek to be makers of peace and seekers of justice, as Christ taught. In America, that means being increasingly aware of the prejudice and injustice our neighbors – especially our Native American, African American, Latino, Asian American, and other ethnic groups – have experienced and still experience here in America. May we seize this moment, not only to celebrate the progress we’ve made in 40 years, but also to continue the transforming process in light of the gospel of reconciliation, so that future generations will experience the fruit of our continuing commitment to the justice and peace of God.