Standing before the Lincoln Memorial on a hot August day in 1963, a young African-American minister gave a speech heard in the four corners of the United States.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr proclaimed: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” In the shadow of that powerful memorial to the man who freed the slaves and while the echo of the Reverend Doctor’s prophetic words resound across the nation next Tuesday, Senator Barack Obama will be sworn in as the first African-American president of the United States of America.
While the dream is still a work in progress, on Tuesday, America can stand proud of this historic accomplishment. The election of the first African-American president in U.S. history offers a powerful lesson about racial equality not only for Americans but across the globe. It isn’t only a powerful sign of hope for African-Americans but for all people who strive for an end to the intrinsic evil of racism and for the establishment of harmony among all peoples, cultures and nations. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, white or black, January 20 is yet another historic milestone in the long litany of important events leading to American freedom. It is a day to put aside partisan politics and critical cynicism and to celebrate the American dream of liberty and justice for all. This is the dream that Dr. King called for so many years and tears ago.
We pray and hope that our new president, Barack Obama, will be able to respond not only to the expectations and hopes that have been placed upon him but also to the economic crisis facing our nation amidst a world that continues to face violence and war. He must serve human rights and justice by finding the best avenues to peace in our world. He must foster a growth in the respect for the dignity of all human life that will overcome even the evil allure of the culture of death. He must, as Pope Benedict XVI has suggested, "build a world of peace, solidarity and justice."
We echo our Holy Father's promise of prayer to sustain President Obama as our new president faces the tremendous trials and heavy burdens that are the responsibility and duty of the office he will assume on Tuesday. We must unite as a nation to sustain our president with prayer as he faces the challenges that lie ahead. We call upon all Catholics and people of good will to join the Holy Father’s promise to pray that “God will enlighten and assist” President Barack Obama.
