“God is good all the time and all the time God is good,” said Sister Jane Nesmith, director of the diocesan Office of Black Catholic Ministries, as she welcomed faithful from across the Diocese of Cleveland to the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Mass.
Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost celebrated the liturgy on Jan. 20 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Father Damian Ference, vicar for evangelization; Father David Domanski, OFM Cap, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Garfield Heights; Father James Watson, OFM Cap, pastor of St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Cleveland; and Father Carl Gales, SVD from the Archdiocese of Chicago, Illinois, concelebrated the Mass. Father Gales also was the guest homilist.
“God in his goodness allows us to gather here today in this cathedral to remember they legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.,” Sister Nesmith said. “We are grateful for Martin Luther King’s message of freedom, equality and justice.”
She acknowledged the Knights of Peter Claver and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver who participated in the Mass, as well as the Diocesan Gospel Choir, which includes music directors, musicians and choir members from Black Catholic parishes in the diocese. The choir provided music for the liturgy.
Bishop Woost also welcomed those attending the Mass in person or watching the livestream on the diocesan website, noting it was an opportunity “to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and to give thanks to God for his witness to the Gospel and the challenge he presented to our nation and the world to eradicate racial injustice and to bring freedom and peace to our brothers and sisters.”
Father Gales began his homily in song, encouraging the choir and faithful to sing along. “You are the source of my strength. You are the strength of my life,” he sang before shifting to his homily message.
Reflecting on the prophets, Father Gales noted that they were God’s mouthpieces on earth with the mission of bringing people back to God. In ancient Israel, it could be a death sentence if they spoke truth to power. Little has changed, Father Gales said, referring to what he called the prophets of the civil rights movement. “Yet, they pressed on,” he said.
“What they have to say is important. They were called by God to speak the truth, casting a net to get the word out and to press on, even when the cards were stacked against them,” he added. “God is about justice. Where there’s justice, there’s peace. If there is no justice, there is no peace. We’re all called to be prophets, to be instruments of peace and justice. The good news is that Jesus is a rock in a weary land.”
Father Gales said our country, our politics and our Church are riddled with division, but we have four options.
“We can accept life as it is and live our lives the best we can. We can choose not to accept it and do what we can to advocate for change. We can play the game or we can do nothing,” he said. “You chose to be here today, which tells me you’re open to speaking up for peace and justice. We’re called to be prophets and are all in a position to make a change. We all have a voice. When we band together and raise our voices, we can make a difference.”
Father Gales said the country “is in shambles. It may not look like it on the surface, but so much is broken. We are called to do something about it. It is our duty to ensure all have a place at the table … We are called to heal our nation.”
But he said to do that, we must know “who we are and whose we are. God has loved us into being and that means we can love one another despite our differences. Loving people who hurt you isn’t easy, but Jesus did it. He tells us to pick up our cross.”
There can be no division in the body of Christ, Father Gales said. Martin Luther King fought what should be evident to all, that we are all created equal. “If we hold these truths to be self-evident, then why do we persist in denying the rights of our brothers and sisters?” he asked. “Jesus told us, ‘What you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me.’ We can’t choose the fourth option (doing nothing). We can’t be silent and let Martin Luther King’s sermons sit on a shelf. He didn’t lose hope. Will we walk together to the promised land and put aside the things that break us apart? Will we decide to put aside personal agendas in order to help others flourish, to choose to do justice, to stand up for the marginalized? Martin Luther King’s vision and dream will be in vain if we choose the fourth option.”
Father Gales said we must redistribute what’s in our hearts and minds in order to change.
“There are consequences to being instruments of peace, of holding the nation and Church accountable. We have a dream to fulfill and I believe we are going to make it. Martin Luther King’s dream is our dream,” he said. “We are called to love one another. I believe God brought us this far and he won’t leave us. But we must do our part as prophets … Don’t tell me you don’t have a voice. Prayer changes things if you’re on the Lord’s side,” he said.
“We are a people who are resilient. We can’t give up and hide in a corner. We are called to be prophets, light for the world and instruments of change. Shine a light in the darkness, speak truth to power and remember, God is on our side and nothing is impossible for God.”
At the end of Mass, Sister Nesmith asked the faithful if they were willing to accept Father Gales’ challenge.
“I have the strength and you have the strength to do this together,” she said.