Reading
With what shall I come before the Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
—Micah 6:6-8
Reflection
Each year, I am struck again by the power and depth of Martin Luther King Jr.’s words and example, and particularly the way they exemplify the teachings of Jesus. Like most American students in the nineties, I grew up hearing excerpts from the “I Have a Dream” speech, but it was only much later that I began to understand the depth and breadth of Dr. King’s work. That speech is inspiring, but it only scratches the surface of his genius.
Engaging Dr. King’s other works—speeches, books, letters, and other writings—is deeply challenging and deeply rewarding. Much of his philosophy and practice comes directly from the teachings of Jesus. Yesterday, Pastor Mark shared a litany from The United Methodist Book of Worship. The litany is based on Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” and it quotes directly from the letter. The full litany is included below.
The letter is a response to white clergy in Birmingham who published a letter criticizing King and other civil rights leaders for their nonviolent campaign to desegregate Birmingham, calling it “untimely and unwise.” You can read the full letter here. It is a powerful challenge to those of us who might be tempted to put our comfort above the freedom of others.
Today, I invite you to prayerfully read the litany below, reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s example, and ask how God is inviting you to work for peace and justice for God’s people. May God grant us each a holy discomfort with the suffering of others and the clarity to discern how God is calling us to act to alleviate that suffering.
A Litany for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
We remember the conviction of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words reminding us that
“freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor;
it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
Therefore, let us pray for courage and determination for those who are oppressed.
We remember Martin’s warning that
“a negative peace which is the absence of tension”
is less than “a positive peace which is the presence of justice.”
Therefore, let us pray that those who work for peace in our world
may cry out first for justice.
We remember Martin’s insight that
“injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality
tied in a single garment of destiny.
Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Therefore, let us pray that we may see nothing in isolation,
but may know ourselves bound to one another
and to all people under heaven.
We remember Martin’s lament that
“the contemporary church is often a weak, ineffectual voice
with an uncertain sound.
Far from being disturbed by the presence of the Church,
the power structure of the average community is consoled
by the Church’s silent and often vocal sanction of things as they are.”
Therefore, let us pray
that neither this congregation nor any congregation of Christ’s people
may be silent in the face of wrong,
but that we may be disturbers of the status quo
when that is God’s call to us.
We remember Martin’s hope that
“dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away
and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted
from our fear-drenched communities,
and in some not so distant tomorrow,
the radiant stars of love and brotherhood
will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.”
Therefore, in faith, let us commend ourselves and our work for justice
to the goodness of almighty God. Amen.
(From The United Methodist Book of Worship. Quotations from “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. Litany by W. B. McClain and L. H. Stookey)
