We read this letter from Julie B. Lai this week and her honesty has been resonating with us. Here’s someone making sense of herself in a complex world by bringing the light of truth to shine on her identity as a woman who is Asian-American and Catholic. She is truthful about her own dignity and about her experience of having that dignity diminished by others. There’s a lot of pain here, and a lot of hope, too. We stand with Julie Bao Yen Lai and her persistence in raising her truth for others to see. No matter what shape or color we take, we’re all created in God’s image, which is beautiful. The diversity of our world is a great gift because it allows God to express love in so many ways. Let’s welcome people of every culture to join us around the Lord’s table — as Julie says, it’s the best way for us to become universal, and a truer image of heaven.
