They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a Sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.”
—John 9:1-41
Sometimes blindness is not just a physical condition, but a lack of awareness, especially when we fail to recognize how we exclude others. Throughout history, we’ve witnessed the prejudices that have shaped our society, targeting marginalized communities, different ethnicities, sexual orientations, the elderly, the poor, and many others.
What are my blind spots? What are the personal prejudices I carry with me?
This upcoming week, we will be hosting a special Way of the Cross, focused on the experience of Native Americans. Inspired by the Lakota Tribe, each station reflects on the suffering endured by American Indians over the years: the pain of poverty, the destructive force of alcoholism introduced by colonizers, the erosion of their dignity, and the various forms of abuse they have faced.
As a member of the Miami Tribe, I will walk from station to station, beating the drum I crafted during my sabbatical. The rhythm of the drum will serve as a reminder of the painful history we must confront, and of the healing we can begin through prayer and reflection.
Red Cloud, Chief of the Oglala Lakota Tribe, once said:
“I am poor and naked, but I am the chief of the nation. We do not want riches, but we do want to train our children right. Riches would do us no good. We could not take them with us to the other world. We do not want riches. We want peace and love.”
Mary Crow Dog, in her memoir Lakota Woman, writes:
“Between 1870 and 1880, all Sioux were driven into reservations, fenced in, andforced to give up everything that had given meaning to their lives—their horses, their hunting, their arms, everything.”
She continues:
“Supposedly, you drink to forget. The trouble is you don’t forget. You remember—all the old insults and hatreds, real and imagined.”
As we pray this Way of the Cross, we invite ourselves to ask deep, challenging questions.
Can praying alongside Native Americans help us to heal?
Can it open our hearts to the wounds of history, so we might grow in understanding and compassion?
May this time of reflection lead us on a path toward reconciliation and peace.
Sister Edwina Pope, ASC
For more information about the Native American Way of the Cross, please send us a message.
