People of Freedom,
Last week, we commemorated Juneteenth, a celebration of the anniversary of the order by Major General Gordon Granger proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865. This was a full two-and-one-half years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Even as Juneteenth is celebrated, it is also a day for us to look at the work we still must do to achieve true freedom and equality for all.
This week, we observe Pride, both a celebration and a protest for LGBTQ+ lives. A parade and festival that promotes self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility as a counter to shame and social stigma. In the wake of a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills in the United States, the need for Pride celebrations is imperative. According to an ACLU update of June 9, 2023, there are 491 bills being tracked.
In Matthew 10:26-27, Jesus says, “Don’t let people intimidate you. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, and nothing is hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light. What you hear in private, proclaim from the housetops.” And proclaim it we will; we will not be silent. For as the old ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) states, “Silence = Death”.
Indeed, there is still much work to do to achieve true freedom and equality. Those at the intersections and in the margins demand it, and God promises it.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday at 10 am at 1130 Balclutha or on Zoom.
Excelsior! Higher, always upward!
Rev. Michael Cronin
