We are tied together in the single garment of destiny,
caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.
And whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
(“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
Merciful and compassionate God, these words of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. resonate with us as we remember and celebrate his life and legacy.
Be with us this year as we work in solidarity with each other, adding our voices to the voices of those who struggle daily for justice and equity.
We must recognize and respond to “the fierce urgency of now” and contest the resistance to our collective work of anti-racism and nonviolence.
Help us understand that in this time, we in this chamber are integral to the birthing of the future from the crucible of the present and the mistakes of the past.
Gracious God, as we intensify our desire to live with integrity of word and deed, help us continue to grow into the network of mutuality that forges our unity and brings honor to the life of our beloved Dr. King.—AMEN.