Living as One Body

Kristina Talbot reflects on how Black History Month connects her more deeply to the body of Christ and the call to serve.   

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

We have a natural tendency to separate ourselves into groups based on something that distinguishes us from others.  When I was a child, I can recall being put on different tether ball courts based on how good you were. I remember with pride when I moved up levels in a sense and was allowed to compete amongst those who were deemed more skilled. I was naturally competitive and neglected to disclose that my newfound edge was because I had convinced my parents to build a tether ball pole to practice on in our backyard.    

It is easy to see and identify many of our differences as we live our lives. What is not visible is the heart, and it can be difficult to see our interconnectedness as God’s beloved creatures. Those of us baptized are not only beloved creatures but adopted as God’s beloved sons and daughters. This anchoring principle has brought me through many challenging chapters throughout my life.   

Black History Month and the Work of the Church

In a special way, our nation takes time out this month to celebrate Black History Month. As a Catholic Christian, I have utilized this secular reminder to explore the history of my own ancestors and the work of the Church to bring the Gospel to the beloveds. There is this beautiful reality entrenched within Scripture that the Gospel is meant for all the nations.  Remarkably, within our country, our Church has been a forerunner and beacon, championing this notion even when it was not a popular ideal.    

Notably, Saint Katharine Drexel gave millions of her family’s wealth to establish churches, schools, hospitals and colleges to serve the underserved African American community in a time when access to these institutions was limited. Her work and ministry continue to live on in many of the institutions she established.    

Also of note, Saint Martin de Porres is revered for his work among slaves in Peru during a time when medical care was withheld. Saint Martin extended himself as the hands and feet of Christ to those whom society ostracized because he embraced the love of Christ and himself had experienced persecution. 

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.  Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. (1 Jn 4:7-8)  

The Call to Look for Christ Among Us 

As I reflect upon what my ancestors endured and overcame, I am struck by the reality that societies have consistently marginalized groups because of their differences. What sets us apart as Catholic Christians is the call to radically encounter and look for Christ among us. Each of us reside within a community that has needs. We may not consider ourselves as resourceful as the heroic saints who have gone before us, but there are opportunities to extend ourselves in service to others.   

For example, a few acts of service you may have access to within your community may include: 

• Volunteer with your parish Saint Vincent de Paul Society 
• Donate goods to your parish or local thrift store 
• Leave places you visit better than you found them 
• Make eye contact and engage with a worker in the service industry 

“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) 

No single person can solve systemic issues that generate marginalized populations within societies. Yet we can live the Gospel where we reside and extend love to those we encounter. These seemingly small actions go a long way in closing the gaps between our differences. 

For me, I look back on my tether ball days and see that I had other unseen advantages to help me on my path. I give thanks for the sacrifices made to provide me opportunities that not everyone had available to them. But I also grieve the price of some of those sacrifices and what it cost. Recalling that we are one connects me to the body of Christ. In and through Him, since we are one, it is a worthwhile effort to live and love as one of His beloveds.  

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jew or Greek, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. Now the body is not a single part, but many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14) 

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Copyright 2025 Kristina Talbot
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