Bishop Nelson Perez spent his first Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Diocese of Cleveland sharing thoughts on the late civil rights leader with a packed house at the Cleveland Public Library?s Martin Luther King Jr. Branch.
The bishop was the keynote speaker at Drum Majors for Change, the library?s 33rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative program on Jan. 15, which was presented in cooperation with the Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, of which King was a member. The event theme was based on the final sermon King delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia on Feb. 4, 1968.
?Dr. King said, ?We may have come in different ships, but we?re all in the same boat now,?? said Felton Thomas Jr., CPL director/CEO, as he introduced Bishop Perez. ?That?s why we are so honored to have Bishop Perez here today as our keynote speaker. He lives and supports these ideas daily,? Thomas said, adding that the bishop ?embodies the true spirit of a drum major for change: service, humility, community and fraternity.?
?I am delighted to be here with you in this renowned local institution,? Bishop Perez said. He said the theme, ?Drum Majors for Change,? was an appropriate way to remember Rev. King because the definition of a drum major is the field commander of a band or bugle corps, ?someone who takes on an incredible amount of hard work, who provides structure and organization and who leads. And that certainly applies to Dr. King. But even more, his life and legacy reflect a richness of personal virtue.?
The bishop focused on five attributes of King that he said would serve us well in living out his legacy of dignity and equality for all: vision, commitment, courage, hope and love.
?He had a vision deep in his soul and so many wanted to stop him,? Bishop Perez said, reflecting on the difficult times in which King lived. Breaking the chain of hate requires a deep and unwavering commitment, something King knew.
Of that commitment, Bishop Perez said King ?lived his life with a single-minded purpose no matter how difficult, how deflating, how dangerous the challenges along the way were. He said, ?If you can?t fly, then run; if you can?t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.?
The third of King?s attributes, courage, breeds creativity, Bishop Perez said, noting that there comes a time when we must take a stand, as King said, because it is right. ?And he paid the price for that.?
Regarding hope, King had a vision that inspired people with his sense of hope, Bishop Perez said, recalling King?s famous ?I Have a Dream? speech that was delivered during the Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. ?We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope. Everything that is done in the world is done by hope,? King said.
Bishop Perez said King was a highly educated man, but a man of great Christian faith who understood the power of love and the dignity of all people. ?He reminded us that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. He said, ?Along the way of life, someone must have the sense enough and the morality to cut off the chain of hate. This can only be done by projecting the ethics of love to the center of our lives.??
Throughout history we have recognized those who by their bravery and leadership are considered as champions for positive societal change, the bishop said. ?Today we honor an even bigger icon, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and we take time to reflect on his message of peace and non-violence, racial equality and justice for all. May his sacrifice live on by how we embody the virtues of vision, commitment, courage, hope and love and may these attributes of Dr. King serve as a solid foundation for our lives today.?
The bishop said the previous day, Jan. 14; the Catholic Church celebrated the Day of Immigrants, Migrants and Refugees. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, said there are many journeys, but one human family, something King also believed. He said the light, a symbol used by the library, is a powerful image.
?There is lots of darkness around it, but as long as it?s lit, it overpowers that darkness. As Dr. King was a champion for human dignity, may we use this day as an opportunity to prayerfully reflect and actively engage in our own personal progress, walking together in solidarity and upholding the dignity of all by the way we care for each other,? Bishop Perez concluded.
The event also featured performances by the All-City Arts Drum Line and All-City Arts Jazz Band of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District,
