Freedom Dream
Set my people free.
It is hard to believe that in this day and age people are still held against their will, but nearly everywhere in the world, conditions exist which subject people to one form of slavery or another.
Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel; you have come to your people and set them free. You have raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of your servant David. Through your holy prophets you promised of old to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. - Luke 1:68-71
According to the website AntiSlavery.org, the following types of slavery exist today in the world:
On this day, when we remember Martin Luther King Jr as a leader of peaceful demonstrations against oppression, we should stop and take a moment to reflect on how far we have come and how much farther we need to go to truly free all the people, so that all have a chance to live the dream King spoke about.
Those of us who live free, who can choose to follow one path or another, who make decisions about our own future may find it hard to believe that some of our brothers and sisters don't have the same freedoms.
In today's reading from Luke's Gospel, we have hope. We can pray that those who inflict harm and bondage on others come to know Christ and release the hold they have on their victims, but it takes more than that to affect change on a large scale.
We need to make it a priority in our daily lives, if we truly want to share the dream with everyone.
We can set an example by following the example of Jesus, accepting all and caring for all, standing up to those who oppress the weak and the broken.
Imagine a world where all forms of slavery have been abolished, where no one holds another bound and chained against their will. It can happen in our lifetime, if we work for it.
Recently, CNN's Freedom Project stared a program called #FlyToFreedom. They asked people to make a paper airplane and write a pledge on it, a pledge telling what they will do to help end slavery. These pledges are to be shared on social media and featured in a program by CNN.
You can follow what they are doing on Twitter at @CNNFreedom. https://twitter.com/cnnfreedom
What can one person do? Maybe not much. Maybe a lot. But we need to do something. And if we do, perhaps this year will be the last year of slavery in the world.
We can save one life at a time.
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