"Life is really not a bed of roses", Mercy thought to
herself as she stepped out of the business office of of Hills and Plains. She
had just finished an interview for employment. In fact, that was about the
ninth in barely two weeks, and just like the previous ones, this one did not go
well, she did not get the job. Why could she not be employed, or even given
some consideration in any of the places she'd applied for a job? Mercy was
brilliant, she was always at the top of the class, and she was well-behaved
too. She had all it took to do the jobs for which she applied. What was wrong?
Of course, something was wrong. Something had to be wrong for Mercy to be
turned down severally. Mercy was a Christian - that was wrong.
In a society where Christianity was almost a crime, where
Christians were almost viruses, Mercy, a devout and ardent Christian,
had sworn to defend her faith even unto death. That was a costly one. This
resolute decision robbed her of so much. She could not enjoy many of the
privileges due to her like every other citizen. "Why not just embrace the
religion of the people, Mercy?", her mother once asked. Mercy looked at her
mother with surprise and disappointment and retorted, "I'm a Christian,
mum, and I'll remain a Christian until my dying day!" Hardship was
the price she had to pay for being a Christian. As she walked the lonely street
back home, she thought hopefully, I'll just keep trying.
You're a woman, my dear, and you can't head the department. Those words resounded in Reyna's head as she watched the
second-hand tick lazily and noisily on the clock in her office. Those were the
words of her boss earlier that day. Reyna had worked in the A&R department
of an international music company for a long time, and as the most eligible for
appointment as head of the department, she was long overdue for that
appointment. The shareholders had met three times already but could not take
any decision. What was the problem? REYNA WAS A WOMAN. In a male-dominated
working environment, it seemed inappropriate for her as a woman to be raised to
such high rank, head of A&R. As her boss' words lingered in her head
with so much humiliation, yet, making so little sense, Reyna kept wondering why
a woman could not head A&R. Why suffer so much for being a woman?
LESSON
In this two-part reflection on DISCRIMINATION, we have seen
instances of discrimination of various sorts, including gender discrimination,
racial discrimination, religious discrimination and discrimination based on sexual
orientation. These are few of the many forms of discrimination which are
experienced in our world today. From the world's greatest nations down to our
very homes, people feel superior to others. We do not seem to find sufficient
reason why we should regard the dignity of the other human person. This trend,
this tendency, this evil is destructive, and the earlier we eliminate it, the
better for this little world in which we live.
PRAYER
Almighty God, father of Jew and Greek, Black and White, help us to
see you in the faces of everyone we meet, and to love you in them, that the
world may live as one.
FOR OUR REFLECTION
Luke 5:29-32
Galatians 3:27-28
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