Today, A Light Went Out In America

Yes, today a light went out in America, the day that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was murdered.

A light went out.

Yet at the same time, a torch was lit. America woke up to the true state of affairs of the Civil Rights movement and many good hearted (and previously oblivious) people were horrified at his murder.

I was listening to Good Morning America this morning and Dr. King's son and daughter were talking and it really made me think. Coretta Scott King's words to her children brought me to tears. How can a mother explain to her children that their father was murdered for doing the right thing? Not the popular thing, not the thing society thought he should do, but the right thing?

It brought another train of thought about sacrifice.

Dr. King sacrificed himself and when he did, it changed our whole society -- it changed America.

Like Jesus, he gave his own life for his people. And not just his people, but for all Americans of every color. His words are quoted often, "I have a dream". Today so many of us share that dream, that all people should be equal in America. Just like they are equal in the eyes of the Lord.

Yes, unlike Jesus, Dr. King was a man. A great man, but a man with flaws. Of course he wasn't perfect. He was a man, like every other man. He had weaknesses that his enemies tried to exploit.

Don't we all have weaknesses? Flawed thinking? Even prejudices and bigotry?

Yes, we all do.

As a Christian, Dr. King was held to a higher standard. Sometimes he failed and sinned, as we all do, but the point of being a Christian is that we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and try again. We are mandated to try again.

I know in my heart, my Faith tells me, that when Dr. King met Jesus at the throne, he was welcomed as a good and faithful servant.

How can I know this, beyond my heart's desire, beyond my Faith?

Look at America today.

Today, our children go to school together, play together, work together, live in the same neighborhoods.

There were many catalysts that brought this about, but the murder of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr brought an epiphany to America.

Thus here we are, April 4, 2008, forty years after his untimely death, reflecting on the legacy that he left his four little children as well as all of America and the world's little children.

Today so many of us share his dream. His dream that is still marching toward reality, step by step, day by day, year by year.

Today, we reflect on the man and the Cross he chose to pick up and bear. Each of us has a load that we can choose to pick up, or leave lying on the path of our lives, on our road to Heaven.

Dr. King paid a high price for his choice. But it was the right thing to do.

As we reflect on this day in American history, I look at the faces of my three children and reflect on how the world has changed.

They might not even exist if it weren't for Dr. King, Rosa Parks, the many who worked so hard to make the Civil Rights movement a reality.

We live in a neighborhood where the original CC&Rs say that we couldn't live -- before Dr. King.

My children go to a school that they wouldn't have been allowed to attend -- before Dr. King.

And today we follow the progress of Barack Obama, running for President of the United States of America, something that was unthinkable -- before Dr. King.

It's only been forty years since Dr. King left us, but see how far we have come.

Yes, there are many, many people who have worked to make this a reality. Dr. King didn't work alone, there were many who picked up the torch that was lit when his own little light went out.

Today, we reflect on Dr. King and his massive contribution to our society, our culture, our country.

There is still much to do, but I think Dr. King would be very pleased at our progress.

I think our Lord is too.

"Well done, good and faithful servant. Well done."