The Best of Humanity

Something remarkable happened last night at the Academy Awards ceremony when Joaquin Phoenix made a speech that echoed Benedictine themes of humility, forgiveness, and the need to support each other on the path to eternal life. Here is what he said, in part:

"I've been a scoundrel in my life. I've been selfish. I've been cruel at times, hard to work with, and I'm grateful that so many of you in this room have given me a second chance," he said. "And I think that's when we're at our best -- when we support each other. Not when we cancel each other out for past mistakes, but when we help each other to grow, when we educate each other, when we guide each other towards redemption. That is the best of humanity."

These are the words of one who has put on the mind of Christ. Jesus was constantly giving people second chances, such as Zaccheus, the woman caught in adultery, Simon Peter, and the thief crucified next to him. He did not “cancel them out” because of their past mistakes; rather, he affirmed them through his attention and forgiveness and challenged them to break free of old patterns by living in a different way (“Go and sin no more.”) We who are followers of Jesus are called to do the same.

The best of humanity is when we recognize we are part of the Body of Christ and act accordingly by forgiving and supporting each other. Reminders of that reality often surface in surprising ways—even in a speech made at the Academy Awards.