My dear Good Samaritans,

I am keenly aware that Monday will be a fraught day for many. I have wondered frequently what is going to happen? What is going to come next? How can we prepare? Where do we go from here? And, the fact of the matter is that all change, whether good or bad, brings with it anxiety and uncertainty.

It is also true that the things that impact us the most are also the things that are closest to us. While political leaders come and go, our families, our friends, our co-workers, our teachers, those in our community, have more sway over who we are, how we feel, and our overall happiness than any government can. At that same time, each of us has our own small sphere of influence. Rarely we can affect large, global, changes. But, more often than not, we change the people, places, and things that we touch.

So, where do we go from here? It’s an excellent question and I wish I had a solid answer for each of you.

Another thing that I am also keenly aware of is that Monday our country celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the greatest social reformers of all time. And, on August 16, 1967, in Atlanta, Georgia he delivered a speech to the Student Christian Leadership Conference with the same title as his final book: Where Do We Go From Here? In that speech he says, “And I say to you, I have also decided to stick with love, for I know that love is ultimately the only answer to [human]kind’s problems. And I’m going to talk about it everywhere I go. I know it isn’t popular to talk about it in some circles today. And I’m not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love; I’m talking about a strong, demanding love. For I have seen too much hate… and I say to myself that hate is too great a burden to bear. I have decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love. And the beautiful thing is that we aren’t moving wrong when we do it, because John was right, God is love. [One] who hates does not know God, but [one] who loves has the key that unlocks the door to the meaning of ultimate reality.”

I am convinced that love is our way forward. The only way. And King is right, this love must be strong and demanding. We can start by showing this love to everyone with whom we come in contact. And, then they, too, can show that love to those they meet. And, like an ever-spreading web, eventually we can infiltrate and dominate our world with this deep love that shows respect and dignity for all, especially for the most marginalized and downtrodden.

If there is only one take away that you ever learn from Jesus may it be this: love will always win. Those who are on the side of hate will always, always, fail. Love beats death. Love beats hate. Love beats oppression.

That is where we go from here. We will be on the side of love. We will stare down hate and injustice and shove love in its face. It is not easy, but we are assured in the first letter of John that “perfect love casts out fear.” Let us not be afraid. Instead of fear and uncertainty let us stand firm and perpetuate love. Strong, demanding love.

Peace,