A recommitment to justice
and respect for all

 

Reflections of
Cardinal Justin Rigali
Archbishop of Philadelphia
for the 22nd Annual Archdiocesan Interfaith
Prayer Service
honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 19, 2005, 7 p.m.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Catholic Church, Philadelphia

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the one family of God: a cordial welcome to you all.
It is a great joy for me as the Archbishop of Philadelphia to gather in prayer this evening with so many of you. I greet with particular esteem and respect the leaders of various religious traditions who join me in remembering the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
We gather this evening in this very beautiful church of Saint Thomas Aquinas. However, what truly beautifies this house of God is the people. In this church so many languages and cultures of the Church are represented and welcomed. Indeed, this church is a holy place for our Prayer Service. For the message of Dr. King was one of unity and justice for all. I thank Father Arthur Taraborelli, the Pastor of Saint Thomas Aquinas, and the parishioners for their hospitality.
This Prayer Service, sponsored for the past 22 years by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is a wonderful opportunity for all of us — men and women of different races, languages and cultures — to reaffirm that all people are created in the image and likeness of God. The very first book of the Old Testament, the Book of Genesis says: “Then God said: ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.’ God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1: 26-28).
We also gather to express our great concern about many evils affecting our society — the grave affronts to human life and human dignity: terrorism, violence, poverty, hunger, homelessness, unemployment, racism, the destruction and manipulation of the human being, and the horror of war. Dr. King is often quoted as saying, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” We stand together this evening and recommit ourselves to justice and to respect for all.
But, most importantly we come together to pray. As people of faith, we believe in the power of prayer. Prayer can be described as lifting up one’s heart to God. Through sacred words and song we lift up our hearts to the Lord for it is right to give Him thanks and praise!
On April 3, 1968, the day before he was so brutally murdered, Dr. King was in Memphis, Tennessee and spoke to a crowd of eleven thousand people. It was one of his classic speeches and, indeed, his last. He was not feeling well that evening and even considered not attending the rally, yet he did go and spoke without notes from his heart. His message that evening was based on the Gospel of Saint Luke, chapter 10, the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
You may recall in that story, Jesus is tested by a scholar of the law. This man says: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus reminds him that the whole law is based on loving God totally and one’s neighbor as oneself. But, pressing Jesus, he asks, “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus goes on to answer that question, by way of a parable, a story. In that story, a man is beaten by robbers going from Jerusalem to Jericho. This road is a dangerous road and the man is left nearly dead. On the road both a priest and a Levite passed him by. But Jesus points out that it was a Samaritan, a foreigner, who was moved with compassion. The Samaritan does not pass by.
Jesus says: “But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back’” (Luke 10: 33-35).
Jesus then asks the scholar of the law: “‘Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?’ He answered, ‘The one who treated him with mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise’” (Luke 10: 36-37).
Those words, “Go and do likewise” are a direct challenge for each of us. Anyone in need is a brother and sister to us. As people of faith, we can never stop asking the question, “Who is my neighbor?” and putting our faith into action.
In many ways this final sermon of Dr. King embodied his life. He saw the evil of racism and bigotry. He heard the cries for justice from the wounded and downtrodden of our society. Dr. King certainly could have passed by. But he spoke out and challenged our nation to become truly what we profess: “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
For us truly to honor Dr. King is to continue the legacy of service to all God’s people. We must not pass by when we see someone in need. We must continue to remove the walls that divide us, realizing that we are called to equal dignity as children of the Almighty and Merciful God. It is by showing mercy to our neighbors and co-workers that we are truly able to respond to the command: “You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind” (Luke 10: 27).
We all have seen the tremendous devastation of life brought about by the earthquake and tsunami in southeast Asia, stretching to eastern Africa. This evening we have the opportunity to imitate Dr. King and put our faith into action by offering our prayers, but also sharing our financial resources in a special collection to help our brothers and sisters in need.
As people gathered together before our God, who loves each of us, let us say:
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray!
Amen.