Musings from Graceland

I THINK ABOUT MY OWN FUNERAL

Today marks the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr's death by assassination. Like all of us, Dr. King was not without his flaws. But despite the flaws and the personal struggles, he was an intensely committed man who was willing to die for the the cause of justice, faith, and the freedom of his people.

Shortly before he died, Dr. King preached a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He talked about what he hoped would be said about him at his funeral, because he strongly sensed that he would not live to be an old man but would die for the cause he was living for.

Here is an excerpt from the February 28, 1968 sermon that 39 year old Martin Luther King Jr. preached:

"Every now and then I think about my own death, and I think about my own funeral. Every now and then I ask myself, ‘What is it that I want said?’ I’d like somebody to mention that day, that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I’d like for somebody to say that day, that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to love somebody. I want you to say that day, that I tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day, that I did try to feed the hungry. And I want you to be able to say that day, that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to say, on that day, that I did try, in my life, to visit those who were in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity."

Will you join me in this commitment to the Lord that COMMON PRAYER: A LITURGY FOR ORDINARY RADICALS has for today?

"We give thanks today for our brother Martin and for the ways you spoke through him to expose the the poverty of our wealth, the insecurity of our war-making, and the contradictions of our racism. Give us grace to love you among the least today, O Lord, and to live the good news Martin preached in his life and in his death. Amen."

This blog post was inspired by today's reading from COMMON PRAYER: A LITURGY FOR ORDINARY RADICALS. I've been using it with my kids for our morning devotionals and we are getting a lot out of it and, hopefully, responding to the world around us in a more intentional and loving way.