+ Old and new! Chosen! Forever! Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
+ It is truly amazing sometimes how, I would suggest, quite accidentally that certain readings happen to fall on certain holidays.
In this case, we are speaking about Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
+ Looking at his life, his teachings, his sermons, his witness, his willingness to suffer in every way including assassination.
Today’s readings reveal not only a lot about Dr. King, but also about us.
Clearly, he was chosen by God. Surely, he participated in a very high priesthood. Surely, he heard God’s voice declaring: “You are my son, this day I have begotten you.”
Surely, he knew the past, the traditions, the ways of doing things and seeing things; and surely he saw what had to change, what had to be, where we had to go, and how we had to get there.
+ Is it now the same for us? Have we heard — do we know, do we believe? Have we celebrated — are we convinced, and do we know our transformation because God has said to us: “You are my beloved son [daughter] … this day I have begotten you!”?
This is crucial! This is of heavenly and divine importance. If, indeed, God has said this (and I believe there is no question about it), then do we not have to “listen up”?
+ Every once in awhile in life, we find ourselves apologizing for the behavior of another. Today, I want to apologize for the behavior of those Pharisees.
I am sorry, Lord, that you had to experience once again the hard heart, and ignorant, unbalanced, vindictive and judgmental words of the Pharisees.
But, in gratitude to you, you took the time to set them straight. You took the time to explain, once again, what is important and what is coming. You shared how important it is to know the past and present, and what to hold onto or let go of in our lives and for our futures.
+ Thank you, God, for giving us yet another son of yours who helped set us straight and guide us into a better future.
Lord, we apologize for those who never heard him, who were mired in their ugly and sinful past and refused to go forward to a better future, who participated in and perfected the art of hatred and racism, who were capable of and actually committed murder actually or complicity.
Thank you for this son of yours. Thank you for his acceptance of your prophetic call.
Thank you for so many activist souls who decided again and again and again to walk with him, to share his vision and words, and to be willing to suffer, even up to this very day, for what and where and how we have to go forward.
God bless Martin Luther King Jr.
God bless Tiny Tim, and God bless America!
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at perry.leiker@gmail.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
