Today, we honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by remembering his lessons of peace and non-violence, and his call for racial equality and justice for all. His message is rooted in the Gospel passage of the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12).
As Pope Francis said some years ago when he spoke before the U.S. Congress, “Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. If we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.”
As our nation commemorates this day, we should reflect on the legacy of Dr. King’s life and recommit ourselves to the Gospel message of love, mutual respect and the dignity of all human life. We live in a world where social injustice, division and conflict are common, and it is now more important than ever to love all people as we want to be loved and work to eradicate the sin of racism, which is always inherently evil. By living the Gospel, we will draw everyone closer to Christ, our Lord, and to our Heavenly Father, who is the creator of every human life.
May we pray for the inspiration to work for the justice that will bring us lasting peace. And may we never forget the courage and sacrifice of Dr. King, sharing in his dream of building a community of unity, peace and hope, with a deep respect for all our brothers and sisters created in the image and likeness of God.