Rector's Reflections - March 2006

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Two giants of the Civil Rights movement have died recently, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King. I grew up with this movement and have watched as its achievements have given immense impetus to other movements throughout the world to improve the conditions of those who are oppressed. Indeed, while there is still much work to be done,(and much of it needs to be done in those intractable areas of the personal lives and “habits of the hearts” of us all), there is so much to celebrate in the overcoming of much institutional oppression. Through laws and court decisions, there is much more freedom for all kinds of people than there was 100 years ago, and not only in this country, but throughout the world.

The freedom we celebrate was achieved, as we remember, largely through non-violence. Martin Luther King was dedicated to using peaceful means of confrontation in the struggle for African Americans. The Civil Rights movement not only embodied the teachings of Jesus about the worth and dignity of all persons, it accomplished its goals in very much the same Spirit.

This Lent, while we will take an individual journey into the awareness of what constitutes our own personal sinfulness, I would like to challenge all of us to take a look at our institutions, our country, the world and ask what we can do to help overcome the sinfulness that we live out in a more corporate sense. Where would Jesus be outraged today? And how could we act in ways that live out his Spirit?

Many of the leaders of the Civil Rights movement were flawed human beings, but look at what they did to help the world be liberated from the grip of its sinfulness. What can we do to make a difference? It is a good question to ask this Lent.

Faithfully yours,

(The Reverend) Susan W. Klein