“We call for a liberalism from the North which will be thoroughly committed to the ideal of racial justice and will not be deterred by the propaganda and subtle words of those who say: ‘Slow up for a while; you’re pushing too fast.’”
“Whether we realize it or not, each of us lives eternally ‘in the red.’ Recognition of one’s indebtedness to past generations should inhibit the sense of self-sufficiency and promote awareness that personal growth cannot take place apart from meaningful relationships with other persons…”
On Sunday in my sermon about how far we’ve drifted from the idea of “Sabbath” and the need to collectively create quiet time and space for our inner lives, I mentioned the Blue Laws of Massachusetts that kept banks and stores closed on Sundays. After the service, Fred Glore mentioned that in those days, commercial vehicles weren’t even allowed on the Mass Pike! It wasn’t that long ago that we all had Sundays without Amazon trucks, iPhones, the internet, kids’ sports practices, shopping, etc. Our young people are being raised in a different world, without the rhythm of a day of rest. I hope you can find some this month!
This Sunday we turn to remembering the message of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Throughout the weekend, there are a number of special MLK events commemorating King and inviting us to join in multiracial community (listed elsewhere in this Enews thanks to the Racial Justice Team.) At North Parish we’ll also remember Viola Liuzzo (died age 39, March 25, 1965) and the Rev. James Reeb (died age 38, March 11, 1965), two Unitarian Universalists who were assassinated by white supremacists for participating in the Selma to Montgomery marches during the civil rights movement. The Rev. Reeb was a guest preacher at North Parish just a few weeks before his murder.
Now and then we remember: we stand on the shoulders of giants- and are recipients of a history that involved great sacrifice by many who have come before us.
Yours in faith,
Rev. Lee