Sojourner Truth c1870The question has come up recently “what is truth’? In the Gospel read today in ChurchJesus answers this question by saying: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Light.”
Today my wife and I attended a play called “A Woman Called Truth”. It was the story of Sojourner Truth, the self-given name, from 1843 onward, of Isabella Baumfree, an African-American abolitionist and women’s rights activist. She spoke a message of ‘justice’ doing the right thing, in a time of slavery and lack of women’s rights.
Tonight on news I heard the Mayor of Milwaukee speaking in a church on stopping violence saying it is not enough to say “stop violence” to youth but we must given them positive ways to use their time. Immediately my mind went to our losing effort to ResurrectTheRims, to keep full court basketball playing at the county park in the neighborhood.
My mind also wandered to our efforts to keep our St. Vincent De Paul conference located on the north side of Milwaukee, in the area we serve. Some say we can continue to serve the area while not being located in it. Yes. I say, that may be true, but presence is so much a part of justice and service.
The woman called ‘Truth’ suffered greatly in her struggle for the rights of African Americans and women. In her day she suffered insults, injuries, loss of parents and children yet she persisted in her struggle for truth. Her faith in Jesus kept her going during all her trials.
After seeing the play I must count my blessings. My faith doing justice, the right thing, has come cheap. Sojourner Truth’s struggle for the way, the truth and the light cost her dearly.
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