Omaha World Herald June 8th 2025
Rev. Dr. Cynthia Ramirez Lindnemeyer
“What Can I Do?” That question often feels swallowed by a world drowning in divisiveness. Can one person can really make a difference? Today, Christians celebrate Pentecost while the Bahá’í community observes Race Unity Day. Both sacred observations remind us that the Divine is present in each of us and that we are one human family. These religious observances are like spiritual lifeguards vigilantly reminding us that all it takes is one person to instigate hope.
Race Unity Day calls us to recognize our interconnectedness and to build a world where no one is marginalized. Pentecost is not just about a historical symbolic event, but about the universal potential within each person to awaken to the realization that the Spirit of God lives within. Metaphysically, Pentecost symbolizes the awakening of higher consciousness where the Spirit moves through ordinary people to be a vessel where love overpowers division.
“What can I do?”
The answer has been revealed for centuries through mystics, teachers, and even people we know. We are surrounded by courageous souls who quietly and selflessly devote their lives to bringing joy, healing, and hope into the world. This is not mere theory, for if you pause to reflect, someone will likely come to mind who has touched your life in a profound way. This week, our community remembers one such person: Yano “Big” Jones. June 10th marks one year since Yano left this Earth, yet his spirit continues to live on.
As a coach and assistant high school principal, Yano possessed that beautiful gift to awaken the potential in others, especially in youth. He built trust among families and communities, crossing boundaries of race and politics. His investment in students and families, my own included, still unfolds every day in all the lives he touched. Some people shift the trajectory of your life just by being who they are, and when I reflect on Yano’s life, I am filled with the same gratitude that the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life invites us to feel: the realization that one life, lived with heart and love, really can make a difference.
What can you do?
You can change your perception to see a world full of loving people. You can choose courage over silence, affirmation over cynicism. The Spirit is still moving. As we remember the fire of Pentecost and the sacred oneness that Race Unity Day proclaims, may we not wait for saints or superheroes to arrive. Let us become them right here, right now. There are heroes in this world. They exist in the mirror.