(Prayer offered on the Public Address system for the entire La Salle Academy educational community on Tuesday morning, 4 April 2017)

Good morning, La Salle!

Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.

Today, April 4th 2017, marks the 49th anniversary of the death of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King was the conscience of his generation.  He gazed on the great wall of segregation and saw that the power of love could bring it down.  From the pain and exhaustion of his fight to free all people from the bondage of separation and injustice, he wrung his eloquent statement of his dream of what America could be.  He helped us overcome our ignorance of one another. He spoke out against war he felt unjust, as he had spoken out against laws that were unfair.  He made our nation stronger because he made it better. He continued to his last days to strive for a world where the poorest and humblest among us could enjoy the fulfillment of the promises of our founding fathers. His life informed us, his dreams sustain us yet.

Forty-nine years ago today, Dr. King lost his life for the cause of equality for all.  Let us pause to remember the great legacy of this man.  We pause to remember how Dr. King’s deep faith called him to his legendary role as a leader to all people.

As you remember this great man, I ask you right now to listen to a prayer that was written by Dr. King himself.

“O God, we thank you for the fact that you have inspired men and women in all nations and in all cultures. We call you different names: some call you Allah; some call you Hashem; some call you Jehovah; some call you Brahma; some call you the Unmoved Mover. But we know that these are all names for one and the same God. Grant that we will follow you and become so committed to your way and your kingdom that we will be able to establish in our lives and in this world a brother and sisterhood, that we will be able to establish here a kingdom of understanding, where men and women will live together as brothers and sisters and respect the dignity and worth of every human being. In the name and spirit of Jesus. Amen.” 

Saint John Baptist de La Salle:  Pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts: Forever.

James DePasquale–De La Salle Middle School teacher–Spanish*

*drawn from a variety of sources