A Vow of Identity

The Transformative Way

I know who I am: before I am a white man,

before I am an American, before I am a Roman 

Catholic, before I am a name in an address book 

…I am a child of God.

I’m related to every person of every race, every 

culture, every creed, and every human tribe

that has ever existed on planet Earth

we are brothers and sisters of the same household  

we are made in the image of God and

we have a god-like destiny.  

I do know who I am: I am a wind of anguish 

that scatters the ancient dust of Tibet and 

Afghanistan. I weep with those who grieve

I hunger with those who starve. I am prisoner

with those in chains, and I walk with the

warriors who seek justice. 

I mindfully know who I am: awareness courses 

upward through my being, over-rushing all 

obstacles of time, space, culture and Catholicity 

it is an awareness that is mindfully unaware of 

those things that are not worthy of awareness.     

If nationalists, sectarians, supremacists and

fundamentalists were aware who they truly are

they would not hate one another, slaughter one

another, steal from one another or proclaim

themselves superior to one another. If they mindfully 

realized who they truly are they would not force 

the poor into servitude in the name of nationalism, 

patriotism, religious certitude… or ethnic pride.