“You were touched when you read that Christ was in the Gospels, hidden in the sacrament of the Word. But how much more is Christ present in the sacrament of human life! Hunt for God everywhere! God wants to be captured with joy! And when you have found God, give God to others. There are people God is waiting to reach only through you.”1 Gabrielle Bossis, French playwright & mystic
On a beautiful morning, Trinity Sunday, a few weeks ago, I met Jay2 in Holy Infant’s church lobby. We’ve known each other for some time.
“I just don’t understand all of the protesting, riots, looting. I just don’t get it.” He referenced recent actions following the George Floyd killing.
We made quick dissections of systematic racism in education, healthcare, and law. Jay shared some of his experiences from serving in the National Guard during the Vietnam War. A few parishioners arriving early to mass interrupted our conversation. I assumed our conversation was concluded until Jay returned.
“I recall an interesting story,” he offered thoughtfully.
Jay enlisted into the National Guard after graduating from college and shortly after he’d been married. He was assigned to Fort Knox for eight weeks of basic/Advanced Individual Training between the National Guard (NG), Army Reserves (AR) and regular army (RA). With some rivalry between them, the army majority taunted the NG recruits as ‘no good.’
The men moved into their billets which were their living quarters. Rather than bunk according to affiliation, they seemed to somewhat naturally segregate themselves by black and white, roughly a 60% to 40% split. One often felt tension between them.
One night after training, Jay returned from his shower to find his wallet had been taken. Though it contained little money, it held his license, military card, and most importantly, a picture of his wife along with a lock of her hair tied with a short ribbon. Initially, he appealed to the white group with whom he resided, but nobody knew anything about his wallet. Jay thought for a moment, ‘why ask the other guys? They’re younger, loud, always partying. They’ll deny knowing anything and make me the object of their jokes.’ Eventually, Jay did question the group of black soldiers razzing one another and showing no interest in his wallet. Figuring the loss was his responsibility, Jay didn’t report his wallet missing, nor did he speak of it again. He did not want to escalate a bad situation.
Four weeks of exercises and training ensued. During one particular training session, men were scattered for night navigation, all equidistant from rendezvous points. Each was given a red-filtered flashlight, a compass, and a map to located and arrive at the same rendezvous site. Both privates, Jay (white, NG) and Tom (black, RA), arrived at their rendezvous point significantly earlier than the others. Jay hesitantly began to ask questions striking up a conversation with Tom. Both took advantage of the time to listen to one another’s stories.
Four years older and married, Jay graduated from a university while Tom didn’t complete high school but planned on acquiring his GED. Jay grew up in Iowa in a stable family with two siblings. When he and his wife married, they shared $800 between them. Tom grew up in Harlem, NY, among eight siblings crammed into a small apartment. At one point, his dad told Tom he could no longer afford to care for him anymore. Tom needed to make life on his own. Tom decided the army offered him more promising opportunities for his future. Without money, he enlisted in the army. Jay, a self-proclaimed ‘doughboy,’ paled to Tom’s tall, muscular stature. The others in the barracks admired Tom while Jay found him to be intimidating. Jay was an officer candidate while Tom headed to infantry. Upon the night’s conclusion after briefly sharing one another’s stories, they committed to attempt to join one another’s teams over the remaining three weeks of training.
Jay recalled, “It was good to share one another’s life’s stories. Tom was not the intimidating figure I thought him to be.” The brief encounter launched a new friendship between them.
The next morning, Jay’s wallet was on his locker. “My wife’s picture along with her locket of hair was in it! Everything was in it. Nothing was missing.”
Now, don’t assume for a heartbeat, that Tom took the wallet. However, odds on grace, Tom had much to do with its return!
I am not one to understand the Trinity and I still don’t. But as I sat through mass that morning, I felt the Trinity blaring, “You captured me! Let our three be revealed in the narratives of these men!” God the Father breathed life in creating two men in ‘his own image and likeness.’ (Gn 1:26) Two men lived distinct lives. They connected and shared with the incarnated Jesus deeply embedded within them. “I (Jesus) am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” (Jn 14:20) Though worldly influences had systematically, artificially segregated these men, grace weaved through their narratives. The Holy Spirit breathed trust in their friendship. Perhaps, relationship is what we all should be seeking. Shouldn’t we like Jay and Tom, wrapped in the mystery of the Trinity, seek with courage the deepest possible understanding, communion, and friendship with everyone?
Footnote:
A few weeks later, Jay’s grandmother passed away. In order for him to receive a pass to attend her funeral, he needed his military card. With the required identification in hand, he was granted a three-day pass to attend her remembrance.
1. “Give Us This Day,” June 11, 2020.
2. Names have been changed for the purpose of privacy.
