Daily Meditation for April 4, 2024

“Early morning, April 4
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.”

These lyrics are from U2’s song “Pride (In the Name of Love),” which honors the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated on April 4, 1968.  To honor him today, let us reflect on a few of his quotes and how we can live them out in our world today.

  • “Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.”
  • “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
  •  “Let no [one] pull you so low as to hate him.”
  •  “In the long run of history, destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends.”
  •  “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere …Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

In what ways can we bring the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., closer to reality?

By Catherine Duenne, OSB