As we honor the life of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once again we are encouraged to remember his prophetic role the American Civil Rights Movement and his call to peaceful non-violent resistance as the means to achieve social justice.
The America of King’s time was different, yet not so different from our own today. As in the 50’s and 60’s, there are still laws in place that sanction the oppression of people of color. African Americans and other people of color are still being forced to live less than the life for which they were created. During the later years of his life, King concluded that it was not only racism that plagued the soul of humankind, but also poverty and war, particularly the Vietnam War. We haven’t even come close to eradicating poverty and today we continue to participate in and support unjust wars.
Martin Luther King changed this country and the world. Not only were laws changed to ensure a degree of equality, but maybe even more important was that he changed how the Black community, as well as all oppressed people looking on, saw themselves. He helped to restore and protect human dignity. He reminded all oppressed people that they were somebody. He reminded us that we are all created in the image of God – and that means everybody.
Many in more recent times have been identified as prophetic voices. Most fall short of the true definition of the classical biblical prophets. But certainly, individuals such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Teresa of Calcutta, Dietrick Bonhoeffer, and Thomas Merton were important historical figures and powerful prophetic voices of their time.
Prophets, whether in ancient or more modern times, lived within the tension of loyalty to their call and compassion for the community in which they preached. They often paid a great price for their loyalty to truth. Often with their lives. John was beheaded, Jesus was crucified, Gandhi and King were assassinated, and Bonhoeffer was executed by hanging. All were standing for the poor, the marginalized and the disenfranchised. All were standing against racism, poverty and oppressive regimes that diminished human dignity. And all would say that they were following what they believed was the will of God for their lives.
Like all true spiritual leaders, King’s civil rights vision was born of his deep-rooted faith. It was the unwavering moral conviction of his beliefs as a Christian that inspired his leadership. It was the contemplation of the core values of his faith that propelled him into action. This is an essential truth, because protests without this contemplative core run the risk of being just a bunch of noise. But real change comes only from first giving oneself to deep listening for God’s desire. This is why the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was so grounded in his truth, a truth that had the power to eventually change the moral compass of our country.
The very moral fabric of our nation is once again at stake. Just as we needed prophetic voices to spark the Civil Rights movement sixty years ago, we need them in our own time to help us calibrate toward the truth of who we are as individuals and as a nation. We are once again in great need of this prophetic power rooted in deep listening, steadfast faith, and action. As Christians, we should take seriously what we were taught by the one whom we profess to follow. The core values are simple and yet they can have a profound effect on the direction of our common life: justice, peace, respect, dignity, forgiveness, and love. If we can recalibrate our moral and spiritual compass that points us to these values, then we are ready to take responsible action that can help bring about a much need change in consciousness.
On April 3, 1968, King was quoted as saying this: “I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I have looked over. And I have seen the promised land…and I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
The very next day, on April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. That day the voice was silenced, but the vision lives on.
Rest in peace, good and faithful servant. Your dream is alive.
Brother Dennis
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