ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Dear Friends,

I joyfully greet you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is He who gathers us this afternoon, on this Sunday, His day, to offer praise and thanksgiving to His Almighty Father. Jesus is the Word made Flesh and the Splendor of the Father, who unites us as one Body.

In a particular way, we gather to remember the life of Martin Luther King, a Christian and a Minister of the Word. Indeed, it was the Word of God and Dr. King’s deep convictions that led him to challenge our nation to live out its creed that all men are created equal. This annual prayer service, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is important and offers an opportunity for us to join fellow Christians, and all people of good will, to remember that we are all created in the image and likeness of God. We dare not call Him “Father,” if we do not look upon one another as brothers and sisters.

I am grateful to all of you who have come to this historic and beautiful Church dedicated to Saint Patrick for this Prayer Service. How appropriate for us to be here during this year when Saint Patrick Parish celebrates its 175th anniversary as the mother Church of Norristown and strives to be a place of welcome and hospitality to all.

Even though we may be from various races and cultures and may speak different languages, we are all bound together in Jesus Christ. That bond of unity was the foundation of the beautiful words that Saint Paul wrote from his prison cell to the Church at Ephesus, which we heard proclaimed today and are worthy to repeat:

“I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:1-6).

Dr. King heard those words and proclaimed those words; but, more importantly, Martin Luther King endeavored to live those words. It was that message of gentleness, unity and peace that took him from the pulpit of his Baptist Church to the mountaintop to fight for civil rights. Yet, his fight was always non-violent, using the power of love. Yes, love is stronger than hate; and that is why Dr. King would often say, “When bad people tear down, good people must build up.”

Yet, we must not simply recall or quote the words of Dr. King. We are challenged to live the message that he lived and for which he ultimately gave his life. In a world that often is scarred by anger and anxiety, hatred and hostility, it is our duty as followers of Jesus Christ to work for justice, unity and peace.

Perhaps, the best way to remember Dr. King is for each of us to remind ourselves that we all share the same human dignity. All of us, “black men and white men, Jew and Gentile, Protestant and Catholic” indeed—born and unborn—are children of one God. Hence, there can be no place for racism, bigotry or prejudice in our words and actions.

As we began our Prayer this afternoon, we sang—“In Christ there is no east or west, in Him no south or north, but one great family bound by love throughout the whole wide earth.” May those words ring true, and may the prayer of Jesus to His Heavenly Father become a reality—“may they be one as we are one”. Amen.