A message from Bishop Haynes
When those who were
around him [Jesus] saw what was coming, they asked, ‘Lord, should we strike
with the sword?’ Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and
cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched
his ear and healed him. (Luke 22:49-51)
When Judas came to
betray Jesus, the disciples who surrounded him knew of no other way to respond
than with violence. So Peter struck the servant of the high priest and cut off
his ear. Jesus, however, had a vision of a new way of responding. He declared that
violence was not the answer and reached out with a healing touch to repair the
damage inflicted by the violence.
This way of responding
without violence was also the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “In spite of temporary victories, violence
never brings permanent peace.” King envisioned a world that hinged on
community, harmony and unity; nonviolence, in his view, was the only way to
effect such a community: “We adopt the means of nonviolence because our end is
a community at peace with itself. We will try to persuade with our words, but
if our words fail, we will try to persuade with our acts.” Words and actions of
peace were the goal.
On the anniversary of
his birth, we honor the memory of this man who was a great leader in the civil
rights movement but who also appears on the church’s calendar of saints. We
dedicate ourselves to his dream that we all become beloved community. And we
endeavor to do these things, not through violence which might seem a natural
response, but through peace and non-violent actions.
The Episcopal Church
is launching a new campaign on Martin Luther King’s birthday. The campaign is a
conversation called “From Many One: Conversations Across Difference.” The
initiative comes from the Latin phrase E Pluribus Unum (from many, one)
and hopes to teach, model and foster conversations with those who think
differently from us. The conversation starts with the following four questions:
1.
What do you
love?
2.
What have you
lost?
3.
Where does it
hurt?
4.
What do you dream?
You can find out more
about the “From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference” here.
It is my hope that
churches will use this resource as a way to begin conversation within their own
“walls.” (I use this term figuratively since I realize that for the moment we
are mostly in Zoom rooms or conference calls.)
Until such time as
this conversation launches, it might also be helpful to ask ourselves the
following questions:
· Are our actions aimed at peace or destruction?
· Do our words and actions comport peace or are
they intended to inflict wounds?
· Whose ear are we cutting off?
· Whose ear are we being presented with the
opportunity to heal, and are we accepting the grace of God to respond?
Almighty God, by the
hand of Moses your servant you led your people out of slavery, and made them
free at last: Grant that your Church, following the example of your prophet
Martin Luther King, may resist oppression in the name of your love, and may
secure for all your children the blessed liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
