To Honor MLK with Love

I still believe that love is the most durable power in the world.  Over the centuries men have sought to discover the highest good.  This has been the chief quest of ethical philosophy.  This was one of the big questions of Greek philosophy.  The Epicureans and the Stoics sought to answer it; Plato and Aristotle sought to answer it.  What is the summum bonum of life?  I think I have discovered the highest good.  It is love.  This principle stands at the center of the cosmos.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

From a November 4, 1956, sermon delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church

When we finally catch our groove and create a true Ministry of Love, I want in.  I carve out time each day to think about love — read about it; listen to people talk about it; search it out; try to hold it. I look for how love sounds; how love can solve problems; pop-culture love; how love looks; who speaks of love and for love; love throughout and for the ages; my human-ness; bliss; clarity; spontaneity; improvisation; passion; language; learning; how it feels; how love is diplomacy; love as a muse; and how love carves a path to peace and connects with compassion. I hope the Ministry will give me a hookup.

So during the last week I’ve been lost in love and searching for a theme for next year’s commemoration of brother Martin Luther King’s legacy. I’m reading a couple of bios (one on Buddha and one on Muhammad), free flowing to myself, checking out the tubes, and walking around trying to catch a few vibes.  Then, I came across this video statement:

That’s strong. It’s refreshing; powerful; and, relevant.  Love this because people from all over the world engaged in a loving act – come together and discuss the role of compassion in our lives. Nice to see believers knee deep in building for us all instead f slugging it out. A global crew showed courage to suggest a manifesto for this age – compassion as the basis for human progress. Must be love?

This video pushed me to see that the good Dr. King was one of those people who stood up for love and with love as the simple plan and the approach for making me, and this world, better.  He reminded me that love’s got my back — about the hard work of living with love; love as a real power; and, the way love confronts.

So, in January, let’s give props to Dr. King by exploring the durable power of compassion and love.  Let’s make it inspirational, creative, and different. Got any ideas for helping us to think about love and Dr. King? Let me know.

Peace.

Always dug this Cornell West freestyle: “Justice is what love looks like in public.”