The Musings 12
Read: John 12: 20-33
Today this nation remembers Martin Luther King Jr. A day when this nation and
the world remembers role that this revolutionary civil right leader played re
writing the history of United States, one who inspired millions of African
Americans in their fight for justice, for human dignity and rights. In 1906,
much before Martin Luther King started his famous civil rights movement; a
young lawyer named Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi adopted a non violent protest in
South Africa against a government order of compulsory registering of Indian
population. Though the government used violent method to quell the protest, the
young Gandhi adopted complete non violent means of protest- The Satyagraha.
Years later when Martin Luther King was a student at Crozer Theological Seminary,
Chester, Pennsylvania, in his presentation at the theology class, King included
Gandhi as an individual who greatly revealed the working of the
Spirit of God and who later stated that "Christ showed us the way and
Gandhi in India through his non violent protest showed it could work". One
of remarks that King later made in his life was that he considered Gandhi as
the greatest Christian in the modern world. On this day as we remember Martin
Luther King, we need to understand that such was a influence of Gandhi on
Martin Luther King. A leader who never forsook the path of non-violence even it
meant danger to his life. History states that when he gave leadership to
boycott of public transportation system in Montgomery for de-segregation of seats
on buses, a caller warned him of dire consequences if he ever came back
to Montgomery. Few days later his house was bombed. As angry African Americans
gathered outside his house chanting slogans and wanting to retaliate, when King
found out that his family was safe, he began talking with the protesters and
told them to just go home. Later when three young girls were killed in bombing
during one of his demonstration, King went through deep depression at the loss
of human life but he proclaimed " in spite of the darkness of this hour,
we must not become bitter, nor must we harbor the desire to retaliate with
violence". Here is a leader ready to sacrifice and lay down his life but
will never adopt the way of violence but walk the path of peace and justice. His
famous speech at the Lincoln memorial " I have a dream" is one of the
most prophetic speeches given by a leader, a call of hope and a
life giving support to a community that was fighting their back against the
wall, the fight for basic right and justice. In the last days of his life,
Martin Luther King was little disillusioned as his fight for civil rights was
going nowhere and many of his colleagues started opposing him in the means that
he adopted to give leadership to the civil rights movement. They wanted him to
shun the nonviolent means and also think about alternate ways of spearheading
the civil rights movement so that they could be more powerful, but King opposed
it. Even in the final moments of his life, as he came to Memphis to lead a
peaceful rally in support of garbage workers, he opposed all sorts of violent
action. Ultimately, it was the violent action of shooter James Earl Ray that
ultimately silenced King, but not his words nor his principles. Today when
looking at the legacy that Martin Luther King has left behind we find,
communities and race, people of different religion fighting, trying to assert
themselves in manner that is threatening and violent. Even Church has began
stooping down, and adopting any means and so as to forcibly snatch rights
through the label or tag of being a minority. No wonder that in a country like
in India, especially in a state like Kerala, the majority sometimes seems to be
at the mercy of the minority. In such a context how does the legacy of Martin
Luther King, becomes significant?. This also needs to be seen with
respect to the message that our Lord has taught us with regards to the legacy
and the witness that the church need to carry on in this world to make it
presence significant and relevant?.
In the Gospel of John 12:20-33, we find a very interesting passage about Jesus
teaching his disciples what it means to be glorified. It is the dream of every
human being that their life should exemplify some element of glory. Glory that
could be attained through power that they wield, or because of the
authority that they have been given, the position that they have in church or
society or may be through the social status because of their cast or race
or may be are financially rich. But Jesus brings a new understanding of what it
means to be glorified. Jesus tells the disciple that his concept of glory is
compared to a grain of wheat. Wheat is useless if it remains all by itself. But
if the wheat falls to the ground and dies, then only will it be able to produce
much fruit. Moreover Jesus says that one should not be concerned about loving
ones life on the contrary one should be ready to loose ones life and it is only
then we can really find life and the true meaning of life. Here is Jesus emphasizing
that life is not about preservation and forceful living by making ourselves
more and more powerful, either through more acquisition of power and authority
but a conscious decision to make oneself vulnerable, conscious decision,
whereby I shed the so called powers of authority that I try to wield over
others and be willing to exterminate and annihilate all forms of self glory and
self preservation. When we are able to do that, our objective and mission
of life becomes a life that is lived for common good, for the fight for the
right of other who are less fortunate than myself. It is sad that we as church
are more concerned about our self preservation, doing everything so as to
propagate the legacy of power and authority that we wield to the community.
Thus sometimes our church buildings, our so called projects in the parish and
church are symbols to show to the community how powerful we are. Bigger the
church bigger the symbol of power that we want to show others. It is in this
context that as we remember Martin Luther King Jr, let us consciously see to it
that our life that we live is not a means of self glorification and brute show
of power and authority but willingness to stoop down, humble ourselves, to
ascribe no self value, so as to bring glory to God and a new meaning and
perspective to our life.
Rev. Dr. Joe Joseph Kuruvilla