Hello everyone! I hope your 2018 is off to a great start. I intend this year to highlight activities and issues that can provide opportunities, in addition to the existing ministries of Community Kitchen, Community Link, and Philoptochos, to put our faith into action. As I mentioned in a previous column, Jesus’ ministry on earth was fundamentally radical: he focused his attention on those who are overlooked, forgotten, ignored. His message was one of love and concern for others, rather than of self-interest. We can put this love into action is by joining together with others to bear witness and speak out against injustice.
A major opportunity to speak out against injustice in the U.S. is the Rally to End Racism in Washington, DC on April 3-5th. The National Council of Churches, of which the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese (GOA) is a part, is sponsoring this rally and call to action to complete the work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in addressing racism across all sectors of society. April 4th is the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, and more information can be found here: http://www.rally2endracism.org/.
You may not be aware of this, but the GOA has a proud history of participating in the struggle for dignity and human rights in the U.S. In 1965 His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos walked alongside the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to memorialize two men who had recently been killed in the fight for civil rights for African Americans. Seeing the photos of the Archbishop with Dr. King caused me to swell with pride—I had no idea a hierarch from the Greek Orthodox Church had taken such a public and profound stand on behalf of the human rights of our fellow Americans. The Archdiocese has a nice website celebrating the 50th anniversary of the march, you can find it at: http://civilrights.goarch.org/home. There I learned that part of Archbishop Iakovos’ inspiration to actively participate in the fight for civil and voting rights was his own experience growing up in a minority community in Turkey. He had a clear understanding of what it meant to be treated as less than a full member of society. He viewed civil rights as human rights, and that “voting was more than a right or an expression of citizenship; it was a declaration of one's God-created humanity” (http://civilrights.goarch.org/introduction).
The GOA is actively supporting the Rally to End Racism, and in fact will be hosting participants for Holy Tuesday services in DC on April 3rd. While it is difficult for many of us on the West Coast to get to Washington DC during Holy Week for the rally on the mall, I am hoping that many from our sister parishes on the East Coast will make the journey.
I wish all a blessed lent and please share your social justice ideas and concerns with myself, Elena O. Lingas (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or with Fr. Stephen, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..