A heart-breaking tragedy on a fatal morning in American History occurred on September 11, 2001. The events of 9/11 are forever etched in my memory, especially the dramatic collapse of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York City. The three 9/11 attacks (the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and a rural field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania) were the deadliest on American soil, since the attack at Pearl Harbor, 60 years prior on December 7, 1941. These attacks brought sorrow and grief as a result of the numerous deaths of airline passengers and crew members, first responders, and workers, both civilian and military. The nation was gripped by fear. The mood was one of anger, hostility and confusion.

That unforgettable day, I was working at home, when I heard the news of the first and then the second attack, followed by the other attacks in Virginia and Pennsylvania. As the Resident Bishop of the New York Conference, I was living in New Rochelle, New York. By the end of the day, my wife was able to make it home from her teaching job in Paterson, NJ. During the day, I was in contact with my District Superintendents and Conference Staff to determine how the Conference could assist in this tragedy. Our family was really concerned, because our oldest son was scheduled to be married at the end of the week, on the 14^th. Fortunately, the wedding did take place, but some family members and friends were unable to attend because of the freeze on airline traffic.

On the day after the wedding, Saturday morning, I went to Ground Zero, along with my clergy assistant and two pastors. We went to the perimeter and walked down to Ground Zero. Along the way, we met a group of fire fighters from Chicago, so we stopped and had prayer with them. We saw collapsed buildings, heavily damaged fire apparatus, and bits of paper that littered the streets (The paper had come from numerous offices now destroyed.). There was a “pungent” odor in the air. In the midst of all the wreckage, there were scores of volunteers, who had come to help. All along the way, we meditated, we shared words of encouragement, and we prayed. We went to John Street United Methodist Church, whose exterior was littered with bits of paper, and we prayed again. Then, we went to Bellevue Hospital where people had posted pictures of family members, who were missing. This shocking experience had a chilling effect on me and my colleagues.

In the aftermath of 9/11, The New York Conference, along with other religious communities, offered prayers for all people, and offered comfort to the families of those, who had been killed. Some concerned people helped by donating food, clothing and cash gifts; and pastors were available for counseling. Additionally, The New York Conference held a Memorial Service at Park Avenue UMC to remember the dead, pray for the families of victims, and pray for the healing of the nation. New York City also held a service, organized by the New York City Council of Churches, held at Yankee Stadium. My role at that service was to ring the bell, which tolled for freedom, liberty, unity, justice, and peace, as we honored the victims of 9/11. In the early days after 9/11, there was a sense of unity across our country. Note, however, that the unity created out of tragedy was not long lasting.

On this 25^th 9/11 Anniversary, I am reminded that in the United States we continue to struggle in our effort to separate hate from hope. The words in the hymn text of Francis of Assisi help us to frame this concern:

“Lord make us servants of your peace;

where there is hate, may we sow love;

where there is hurt, may we forgive;

where there is strife, may we make one.

Where all is doubt, may we sow faith;

where all is gloom, may we sow hope;

where all is night, may we sow light;

where all is tears, may we sow joy.”

Hate leads to war, while hope leads to peace. The path from war to peace is forged by love. Sarah Brightman casts a clear vision for the future in her song, “Love Changes Everything:”

“LOVE, LOVE changes everything: hands and faces, earth and sky.

LOVE. LOVE changes everything: how you live and how you die.

LOVE can make the summer fly, or night seem like a lifetime.

Yes, LOVE, LOVE changes everything, now I tremble at your name.

 Nothing in the world will ever be the same.”

It is LOVE that will change you and me; yes, LOVE will change the world. Let’s give LOVE a fresh beginning.

THINK ABOUT IT!

The multiple and magnificent contributions of Black Americans are woven into the fabric of American History. It is noteworthy that Black History’s indelible mark cannot be erased! It is a mark that enunciates the beauty of the American mosaic.

Dr. Benjamin Quarles, a preeminent historian of African American history, and author of The Negro In The Making Of America (1964), wrote this cogent statement in his book’s Foreword:

If, STRICTLY SPEAKING, there is no such thing as Negro history, it is because his past has become so interwoven into the whole fabric of our civilization. Except for the Indian (Native Americans), the Negro is America’s oldest ethnic minority. Except for the first settlers at Jamestown, the Negro’s roots in the original thirteen colonies sink deeper than those of any other group from across the Atlantic.

Quarles argued that the Negro helped to make America what it was and what it is (both then and now).

Recognizing the significance of America’s Black history, the visionary Carter G. Woodson initiated the establishment of a dedicated week to celebrate the rich history and many achievements of Black people in America. The story of Black people is the American story. Even on this One Hundredth Anniversary of Black History Week (now Month), there are politicians and educators who want to ignore, overlook, and suppress this historical tapestry. The plain fact is that Black history is American history.

There is a harmful campaign, led by president 47, to erase the history of Black people in the making of America. This campaign consists of banning certain books, rewriting curricula, and ostracizing teachers and spokespersons who seek to speak the truth about the contributions of Black Americans. The cruel history of slavery, Jim Crow, segregation and racism cannot be sanitized from American history. Right before our eyes, Black history content is being purged from government websites and certain social media accounts, etc.

In his April 10, 2025 article, Trey Walk made a key observation which focused on the notion that “Curtailing Truth Obscures Racism’s Historic Legacy.” He stated: Assaults on historical truth serve a purpose. They prevent Americans from understanding that racism is less about individual blame, but is instead a system built and maintained through centuries of law, policy, and violence. The attacks also deny people access to models of courage and organized resistance like Tubman and the Underground Railroad. This isn’t only about the past; it’s about politicians trying to foreclose the possibility of confronting ongoing and future injustices. Walk concluded that the Trump administration should keep its hands off Black history. (“Human Rights Watch, April 10, 2025)

In her poem, Battle Hymn of the Republic, Julia Ward Howe stated that –

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;

His truth is marching on.

Surely, God is marching on toward freedom, justice and peace. And no human

effort can stop or erase God’s advance, which is the march of truth.

Consider the wise words of William Cullen Bryant:

Truth, crushed to the earth, shall rise again;

The eternal years of God are hers;

But error, wounded, writhes with pain,

And dies among his worshippers.

This truth is affirmed in Thomas Carlyle’s statement that “No lie can live forever.”

Furthermore, James Russell Lowell aptly describes the evil that results when lies

seek to displace truth. Evil springs up, and flowers, and bears no seed. And feeds

the green earth with its swift decay, Leaving it richer for the growth of truth.

American history cannot be great without Black history, because the blood, sweat

and tears of Black Americans helped to make America great in the first place. Now,

let us peruse the poetic words of Maya Angelou:

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

THINK ABOUT IT!

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, celebrated officially on January 18, 2026, honors the birthday of Dr. King, who was born on January 15, 1929. This year 2026 marks King’s 97^th birthday, while the United States of America will celebrate its 250^th anniversary on July 4, 2026. The Anniversary Commission announced its intention to focus on American history, and the evolution of America’s founding principles. To this end, let’s take a brief look at some of Dr. King’s thoughts, regarding The American Dream.

The American Dream is couched in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Therefore, The American Dream is the belief that any person in the United States of America, regardless of race, creed, color or economic standing, can work to achieve success. This success should be manifested in one’s upward mobility, including the benefits of a middleclass lifestyle

On September 25, 1960, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave an address titled, “The Negro and the American Dream.” King stated: In a real sense America is essentially a dream yet unfulfilled. It is the dream of a land where men of all races, colors and creeds will live together as brothers. The substance of the dream is expressed in these sublime words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident…” For King, this was the dream, embedded in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence. He also noted that the worth of the human personality is captured in the dream.

Dr. King realized that America has a “schizophrenic personality” as reflected in the history of democratic ideals versus slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, lynching as well as racism. “Slavery and segregation have been strange paradoxes in a nation founded on the principle that all men are created equal.” Dr. King during his lifetime advocated for a strategy of nonviolent resistance to segregation and a philosophy/theology of love. He dreamed of an America where the American Dream could, would, and should be fulfilled.

On June 6, 1961, Dr. King gave the commencement address at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and probed the concept of “The American Dream.” He renewed his concern that America was not enabling The American Dream for all of the nation’s citizens. The cancer of racism and its first cousins cannot and should not be accepted, but must be resisted. King has described himself as being maladjusted to the siblings that block some folk from obtaining The American Dream. He said, “I believe that it is through such maladjustment that we will be able to emerge from the bleak and desolate midnight of man’s inhumanity to man into the bright and glittering daybreak of freedom and justice.”

In his famous “I Have a Dream” (August 28, 1963) speech, King declared: “And when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and hamlet, from every state and city, we will be able to speed up that day when all God’s children – black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants – will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last.” King’s dream still remains a dream, while The American Dream has remained sadly, stagnated over the years.

Walter Isaacson in his 2026 book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, has a chapter titled, “The American Dream.” He points to the dangers of a meritocratic aristocracy as noted by Benjamin Franklin. Franklin opted for true merit, “an inclination joined with an ability to serve mankind, one’s country, friends and family.” This wisdom provides clear direction for all of us to live out The American Dream.

To live out The American Dream, Isaacson contends for “a good, stable society where individuals can be free and flourish and live together in harmony. That requires nurturing the sense that we share common rights, common grounds, common truths, and common aspirations. Democracy depends on this.” Can we agree on this?

Yes, The American Dream is yet unfulfilled for All people in America. As we celebrate the birthday of Dr. King, what personal steps will you take to fulfill The American Dream?

THINK ABOUT IT!

Fond memories remain of my maternal grandfather’s visits to our home at Christmas time. My siblings and I only had one living grandparent, so his visits were very special. I do not remember any presents that he brought for us, but I vividly remember his presence at Christmas time. Now, as I reflect on his Christmas visits, it is quite clear that his presence was more important than any presents that he gave to us. Yes, I can still feel the presence of my dear grandfather – his love, kindness and goodness. Granddad’s presence reminds me of the Lord’s presence as experienced by the Israelites.

The Book of Isaiah (See Isaiah 63:7-9) describes the Lord’s goodness to Israel. Isaiah recounts “the gracious deeds of the Lord,” and “the praiseworthy acts of the Lord.” The Lord has shown “great favor to the house of Israel,” because of his mercy and love. God was always with the people of Israel, even though they “rebelled and grieved his holy spirit.” The Lord became their savior in the midst of their distress. Note this key verse: It was no messenger or angel but his presence that saved them; in his love and in his pity, he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:10) It was the presence of the Lord that saved them. Granddad’s presence played a role in helping his grandchildren to develop good character, just as the Lord’s presence helped the Israelites like Moses, David and others to become faithful servants of their Lord.                                                          

In considering the Lord’s presence, remember this, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). God did not lavish the world’s people with all kinds of gifts, but God gave us the presence of his Son. Neither did Jesus distribute gifts among the people. Instead, Jesus stood among the people, being present with the sick, the hungry, the poor, and the spiritually needy. Jesus’ presence literally turned the world upside down.

When Jesus commissioned the disciples after the Resurrection, he reminded them that “I am with you always.” They needed this assurance, because they had become accustomed to his physical presence; but they would soon experience the power of his spiritual presence. On the Day of Pentecost, the promised Holy Spirit descended upon the gathered people. In a new and different way, the disciples experienced the presence of God.

We celebrate Christmas in anticipation of the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel (God is with us.). Emmanuel is used as a title for Jesus in Mathew 1:23, and it emphasizes God’s presence with humankind. Our Christmas celebrations are over, and now we begin to traverse the days of 2026. Remember that God is with you in all circumstances and situations. Doris Akers said it this way: “There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord; there are sweet expressions on each face, and I know they feel the presence of the Lord.” (UM Hymnal, #334) Hymnist Lanny Wolfe said it this way: “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place; I can feel his mighty power and his grace. I can hear the brush of angel’s wings, I can see the glary on each face; surely the presence of the Lord is in this place” (UM Hymnal #328). God was with the Israelites; Jesus was with the disciples during his earthly ministry; and the Holy Spirit was with the Apostles at Pentecost and beyond. Whether at work or play, worship or asleep, know that we have the presence of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Put aside the Christmas presents, and garner the spiritual vitality and guidance provided by God’s loving presence.

Think About It!

Today, several divisions exist among the American people – racial and ethnic groups, economic classes, political ideologies, social classes, cultural practices and educational levels, etc. Often, these various divisions can lead to polarization and disagreements, which are reflected in our two-party system (Democrat, Republican). Consequently, a plethora of divisions occur along party lines, when too often there is little conversation between those on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Bearing this in mind, the dialogue, if any, is frequently filled with hostility, lies, character assassination and recrimination.

It will take statesmen to provide the necessary leadership to overcome the disunityin Congress, and bring bipartisan resolution to serious matters such as the national budget, the debt crisis, the health insurance quandary, the housing shortage, unemployment, immigration, border security, and numerous other problems.

If statesmen are needed, what, then, is a statesman? A statesman can be defined as a political leader, who is experienced and commands respect. This person is not only wise, but skilled in the art of governing. A statesman is more than a politician, because he/she is willing to engage in the tough conversations that requires the ability to listen, to learn, to grow, to change and to embrace compromise, while standing on common ground. This kind of leadership, which requires integrity, is defined as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.” Such leaders indulge in honesty.

Diogenes, the Greek philosopher and cynic, reportedly carried a lantern in daylight in his search for an honest man. This very act exemplified his disdain for social conventions, “the unwritten rules and norms that govern behavior in society.” Our US Congress has a variety of written and unwritten rules that guide proper etiquette, proper decorum and acceptable social ceremonies in the House and the Senate.  These rules often are arbitrary and self-perpetuating. Nevertheless, these rules and practices provide guidance for how our elected officials interact in their respective political bodies. They help to establish what is acceptable or unacceptable. Due to the lack of truly honest men, Diogenes’ effort was almost futile.

As I pen this blog, we are in the midst of a month-long government shutdown. The House Speaker is seeking an end to the shutdown without negotiating with the Democrats over their demand for the extension of the premium tax credit, which would prevent an astronomical rise in healthcare premiums. Then, where is the statesmanship?

Therefore, we ask, “Who are the statesmen?” From an historical perspective, we can name a few examples to illustrate statesmanship. Mahatma Gandhi employed nonviolence in leading a successful campaign to gain India’s independence from British rule. Abraham Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, abolishing slavery and preserving the Union. Nelson Mandela was a leader in the struggle to abolish apartheid in South Africa, and he did not seek retribution against white South Africans when he became the President. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom was known as the “Iron Lady,” and she had significant impact on British politics and the economy. Lyndon B. Johnson led America during the Civil Rights era, and secured the passage of significant Civil Rights legislation.  Senator John McCain effectively worked both sides of the aisle. Lastly, Senator Everett Dirkson and Senator Hubert Humphrey were savvy statesmen, during the Modern Era.

More often than not, common ground can be established, when statesmen arise from within their party in power, and negotiate a compromise with the Minority Party.

So, then, “Who are the Statesmen in our Congress and Administration today?”

THINK ABOUT IT!

 “We the People,” the opening phrase of The Preamble to the United States Constitution, establishes the foundational purpose of the constitution. This document reveals that the government’s authority is derived from the citizens (the people) and not from a king or ruling class.

In its entirety, the Preamble states: “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

As Americans we are entitled to the principles and protections of the Constitution. All United States citizens, therefore, are American, since America is a matter of “We the People.” To love America is to care about and care for all the people of America, regardless of their race, color, creed, ethnicity or gender orientation.

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, several million Americans across the country demonstrated in favor of American democracy as expressed in the American Constitution. The “No Kings Day” demonstrations manifested opposition to a president and an administration that seems to prefer a dictatorship rather than a democracy. There were several demonstration critics, including the President, who portrayed these demonstrations as “Hate America” rallies. However, the demonstrations were peaceful, and the people participating demonstrated their love for America.

What does it mean to love America? Langston Hughes provides some insight about this question in his poem, “Let America Be America Again” (July 1935). Hughes said:

Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed-

Let it be that great strong land of love

Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme

That any man be crushed by one above.

Hughes dreamed of an America that would be America to him by allowing him, and, indeed all people, to live in a land of justice that includes love for all people. Because he loved America, Hughes raised his voice in loving protest.

In 1927, James Weldon Johnson invited the nation to “Lift Every Voice and Sing:”

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring,

Ring with the harmonies of liberty;

Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies,

Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,

Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;

Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,

Let us march on till victory is won.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught America that genuine protest, when grounded in non-violent love, prevails in the end. The “No Kings Day” demonstrators and others do not hate America. Because they love America, they raised their voices in protest. So, “We the people” do not want a king, or a dictatorship.

Maya Angelou in her poem, “Still I Rise” (1978), captures the essence of this moment in our history:

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Let’s make no mistake about it. “We the People” do not hate America, but “We the People” do want to live in an America where All of the people are loved and cared for – food security, health care insurance, affordable housing, employment opportunities, etc. In the spirit of Langston Hughes, “Let America be America again” by caring for All of our brothers and sisters in America. Is not this what loving America is all about?

THINK ABOUT IT!

Still haunting us today is the searing question posed by Frederick Douglas, a fervent abolitionist and a distinguished orator. His question should disturb every American. Douglas asked: “What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?” He provided an insightful but painful answer to his own question. The Fourth of July is “a day that reveals to him (the American slave), more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is a constant victim.” What does the Fourth of July mean to you?

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, in the United States is the annual celebration of nationhood and is observed annually. This celebration commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. On that day the 13 North American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain.  The colonists were then free from the king’s tyranny and oppression. What was the meaning of this historic document?

The Declaration of Independence contains some powerful and poignant words. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, to pursue these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Douglas was not concerned about the trappings of a Fourth of July celebration, but the presumptuousness of the celebration in light of the quoted words, which flew in the face of freedom for all slaves – indeed all people. Douglas had long pondered the arrogance, contradictions and the injustice manifested in the Declaration.

How could slaves pursue happiness when they were denied liberty and freedom? Their lives were a journey of punishment, harsh treatment and hard labor. The Fourth revealed to the slave “the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is a constant victim.” Although slavery was abolished by the 13^th Amendment in 1865, Douglas’ question compels one to consider who the “slaves” are in America today. In other words, who are today’s victims of gross injustices and cruelty? Let’s consider some of the injustices that plague America.

First, Racism is a cancer in our American society, an injustice that oppresses African Americans and other people of color. One of the pervasive fears that rears its ugly head in white America is the browning of America. DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is being eliminated in the corporate world, the federal government and universities as well as other places. Also, there is a growing bias against immigrants from Africa and Asia, as well as Central and South America. Apparently, immigrants from Europe are welcomed to come to America. Astoundingly, President 47 was quoted as saying “we should have more people from Norway.”

Second, there is an inherent bias against women in America. We refer to this reality as gender bias or sexism. Sexism involves preferential treatment or discrimination against an individual based on their gender. Here we encounter misogyny, which is the hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls. This kind of injustice is as old as the Declaration itself. Consider the presidential candidacy experiences of Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris, both of whom encountered significant gender bias.

Third, we see in America the infestation of homophobia. Homophobia is couched in the negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people, who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Homophobia can lead to discrimination and outright violence toward members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Fourth, there is the pertinent matter of antisemitism, which can be expressed in speech, writing and wrongful actions. In recent months there has been a disturbing escalation of crimes against the Jewish population right here in America.

Fourth, islamophobia, is rapidly spreading across America and the world. Islamophobia is an irrational fear of the Islam religion or Muslims. As a form of racism, it generates hostility and hatred that too often leads to violent hate crimes against Muslims.

When considering this plethora of injustices, how do we appropriately celebrate the Fourth of July? What about our founding values of equality and justice as expressed in the Declaration of Independence? Martin Luther King once said that, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Where have you witnessed injustices in your life experiences?

What to you is the Fourth of July?

Think About It!

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed donkey, it was indeed a triumphal arrival and entrance. Matthew 21:1-11 describes Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As Jesus made his way on the back of a donkey, “a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowd that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven’.” At this time the whole city was in turmoil. Some wanted to know who is this man. The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.” This event is known to modern day Christians as Palm Sunday, and it marks the beginning of Holy Week.

As Jesus made the decision to go to Jerusalem at this particular time, he surely was mindful of his great love for all people. Also, he was guided by the fact that God had sent him into the world because of God’s great love for the world’s people (John 3:16). Jesus had spent his entire ministry teaching the principles of Love: love God; love your neighbor; even as you love yourself. Jesus demonstrated his abiding love when he invited his disciples to join him for a sacred meal – the Last Supper. Jesus took a towel.  He washed the disciples’ feet. He shared the bread and the cup with them. Jesus practiced inclusivity, because he invited Judas who would betray him; he included Peter who would deny him three times; he included the other disciples, all of whom would later desert him. In spite of these ominous acts looming on the horizon of time, Jesus dared to enter Jerusalem and shower his disciples with his love on Maundy Thursday.

On the next day, Good Friday, Jesus gave his life on the cross. Out of love and compassion, Jesus told the criminal who asked to be remembered that “truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). The disciples, who had spent three years of in-service training with Jesus, watched his crucifixion from a distance. They were afraid that they might be identified as Jesus’ disciples and be crucified too, just like their teacher.

On that Sunday, the third day, God raised Jesus from death to life. After Jesus’ resurrection and appearances to the disciples, the disciples went to the Upper Room and spent a long time in prayer and meditation. When the day of Pentecost came, they stood tall for Jesus and expressed their love for Jesus. They had been overtaken by God’s love.

Do you have the courage to enter Jerusalem with Jesus? Are you willing to pick up your cross and bear your cross as you journey with Jesus in an upside-down world? Are you willing to be overtaken by God’s love? When we are overtaken by God’s Love, we are ready, willing and able to follow Jesus’ directive to Peter: “Feed my sheep.”  (John 21:17). That’s what it means to be Easter People.

Easter now tells us that Christ has risen. He is risen indeed. Have you been overtaken by God’s love?

Think About It!

The calendar has turned a page, welcoming the New Year 2025, revealing the season of cold, dreary and windy days of winter, with snow, ice and frost. We have celebrated the special days marked on the liturgical calendar – Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. The transitions of a presidential election year are now complete – Election Day, a president elect has been chosen and given the oath of office.  We have experienced the death of the longest living former president, Jimmy Carter. Winter storms have tracked across the country. Raging fires have swept across portions of Los Angeles. There have been air tragedies in Washington DC and Philadelphia, PA. We are living in a time of seeming chaos as manifested in a variety of ways and places.

It is February 2025, and our plans for the new year are unfolding, even as we remember a variety of events and experiences that occurred last year. February is Black History Month (African-American History Month) which was first established as Negro History Week in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. Initially, it was a week-long celebration to teach people about African-American history and the many extraordinary contributions of Black people in the United States from slavery to freedom and now. This month-long celebration helps in the effort to unmask racism in America by teaching the facts of African-American history.

One factor in African-American history was stated by W.E.B. DuBois in his book, “The Souls of Black Folk” published in 1903. Writing in “The Forethought,” DuBois stated that “the problem of the Twentieth Century” is the problem of “the color line.”  The concept of “the color line” relates to the role that race and racism play in American history and society. This concept deals with the issues of race, racial domination and racism (exploitation). Skin color and hair texture were a barrier to opportunity, development and sharing in the nation’s wealth. DuBois, therefore, noted the limitations in accessing power, wealth and opportunity. DuBois in his scholarship invited the nation to admit and understand “the color line.”

Countee Cullen expressed the problem of “the color line” in his poem, “The Shroud of Color.”

“Lord, being dark,” I said, “I cannot bear.

The further touch of earth, the scented air;

Lord, being dark, forewilled to that despair

My color shrouds me in, I am as dirt

Beneath my brother’s heel; there is a hurt

In all the simple joys which to a child

Are sweet; they are contaminate, defiled

By truths of wrongs the childish vision fails

To see; too great a cost this birth entails.

I strangle in this yoke drawn tighter than

The worth of bearing it, just to be man…

[“Color,” Countee Cullen, 1925]

How then does one who is a person of color escape or transcend “the color line?” Or, how do we eliminate “the color line” in all of society, especially in the democratic politics in our diverse nation? Cullen’s poem invites every citizen to remove the mask, and seek to be honest about the impact of “the color line” on all of society. Let’s apply this principle to the 2024 presidential election – the results of which the pundits and scholars are still analyzing in an attempt to understand the outcome, expected or unexpected. There is a variety of viable reasons that help us to understand why Kamala Harris lost the election; however, there are two reasons that have gained too little attention.

America has declined to elect a female president in recent years, even though two highly qualified women have been candidates – Hillary Clinton (2016) and Kamala Harris (2024). Sexism is alive and well in American presidential politics for white women and black women. Gender (misogyny) coupled with color (racism) were hurdles that Kamala was not able to overcome in the 2024 presidential election. Racism, to be sure, is complicated by the gender factor. A candidate who is black and female has dual strikes to contend with – the politics of racism and the politics of gender, but especially racism. Let’s remove our masks.

THINK ABOUT IT!

January 20, 2025

Many years ago, I decided that I wanted to plant a garden. I called my dad who was an expert gardener having grown up working on farms and planting gardens to help feed the family. We made a date, and Dad came to my house and guided me in planting my first vegetable garden. An important task was to choose what seeds I wanted to plant. After the ground was cultivated, Dad showed me how to plant the various types of seeds. The seeds grew and developed into plants and eventually produced a harvest. What a joy it is to eat the vegetables that you have harvested from your own garden.

The quality and kinds of vegetables that one is able to harvest from one’s garden depends on what variety of seeds have been planted.  Also, was the soil properly cultivated before planting? Was planting done at the appropriate time in the planting cycle? As the plants matured, did they receive a sufficient amount of water and nutrients as well as sunshine? Were the fruits of one’s labor harvested at the right time and not left to waste in the garden? There are many variables, therefore, that affect the final harvest, but planting the right seeds, good seeds, is of paramount importance.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. entered into the civil rights struggle while he was serving as a local church pastor. He gained notoriety as a result of his leadership during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Over time, he led mass demonstrations that too often led to violence being perpetrated against the participants in the demonstrations. King wanted to plant seeds that ultimately would lead to freedom for African Americans.

King knew that the struggle must continue in spite of the violence hurled against the demonstrators. King sowed seeds that would guide the demonstrators in their determined efforts to gain freedom now. King began to sow the seeds of love and nonviolent resistance. His philosophy of love was a direct derivative from Jesus’s teaching to love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself. When a hateful segregationist strikes you, respond in love with nonviolence. It was Mahatma Ghandhi who planted in King the seed of nonviolent resistance. So, Dr. King planted the seeds of love and nonviolent resistance in the hearts of people, both black and white, who became a part of the civil rights movement.

There were some folks who criticized King for his leadership of the civil rights movement, especially after he allowed children to join the demonstrations. Opposition to King grew when he began to sow seeds of economic justice in an effort to eliminate poverty. In addition, King stirred up further resistance to his leadership when he began sowing seeds of peace, calling for an end to the Vietnam War.  In sowing seeds of love, freedom, justice and democracy, King’s activism left a trail of turmoil and chaos. It was Frederick Douglas, however, who said: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its waters.” King was committed to planting the seeds of freedom in the soil of hope.

King’s ministry was biblically based. Consider these two verses when pondering the seeds that Dr. King sowed. First, “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow” (Galatians 6:7). The point is that when you sow the seed of love abundantly, you will reap a harvest of love from other people in a greater measure. Second, Matthew 5:43-48 addresses love for enemies. The point here is to sow seeds of love by loving your enemies and praying for them.

As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s 96^th birthday (January 20, 2025), let us remember that Dr. King sacrificed his life in sowing seeds of love, freedom, justice and democracy.

It is also our presidential inauguration day (January 20, 2025). What kind of seeds will President 45/47 sow?

THINK ABOUT IT!