Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A Prayer for Today
Today as I watched the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, I couldn't help but be moved by the historic character of the occasion. When just a few decades ago the possibility of an African-American president was still a distant hope, it's an amazing privilege to be alive to see the day when Dr. Martin Luther King's dream is finally starting to come true in a very tangible way.
Although I was saddened by the inclusion of Rev. Rick Warren as part of the ceremony (Warren has made repeated anti-LGBT slurs and in my view his participation in today's events marred an otherwise momentous occasion), I let my own prayer focus on the moving contributions of Aretha Franklin and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery. In particular, I thought Dr. Lowery's prayer was especially powerful as it reflected his own experiences on the front lines of the civil rights struggle and also included some welcome levity and humor toward the end.
May Dr. Lowery's prayer and Aretha Franklin's voice echo in all of our hearts and help us to work together as a nation for the betterment of our country and our world in the days and months ahead.
With peace and hope,
Padre Chuck
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
He included Warren because of the Saddleback debate that he and McCain had there and was trying to extend a hand to what he perceives to be "conservative America". He probably could have made a better choice there.
But didn't you catch Lowery's off-color/somewhat racist remarks at the end where he ended with "when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right"
I thought everything was nicely done until then. You know someone in the Obama administration had to vet his benediction before he gave it...why would they allow that in?
Thanks for these comments...good things to think about. I agree that there probably could have been a better choice than Warren. I too understood what he was trying to do there -- just that there were probably any number of other options that wouldn't have been so anti-LGBT.
In terms of Lowery's remarks, I think you bring up a very good point. Many people in the audience could be heard laughing during that part but it's still worth reflecting on whether designating anyone as a color - red, white, black, brown, whatever it might be - is a helpful way to talk about human beings.
Thanks again for sharing your comments.
Post a Comment