The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends… It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.
~ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Beloved Community
Rev. Berry Behr, Interfaith Minister
Imagine a lived experience of Heaven on Earth. That’s what Emissary founder Lloyd Arthur Meeker did during the 1930's. He imagined a world that was inclusive, loving, collaborative, and populated by people who were radiant in their common purpose and commitment to service. He imagined a Beloved Community creating Heaven on Earth together.
A few years later, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought the same message. In 1968, Dr. King was assassinated by people who were so threatened by his vision of universal peace that they felt impelled to eliminate it—and him.
A vision of purity, truth, and love that celebrates all creation does not die easily. Belief in the possibility of Beloved Community is a dream of collective Attunement that continues to inspire many, despite the increasingly brutal wars and violent separation we see around us. Perhaps there are still powers that want to continue assassinating the vision of a united humanity that Dr. King, Lloyd Meeker, and other visionaries have gifted to the world. It is a vision that lives vividly in the hearts and lives of many of us. And it is, by definition, a dream of radical inclusivity.
Radical inclusivity respects all of life, beyond difference, knowing it was created by Divine Design. Radical inclusivity shows up as right relationship as far as possible with all of life—human, animal, and mineral. It is a solid commitment to the hardest path, never more so than at this time of relentless judgment. It chooses reconciliation over the spoils of war and commerce, kindness over power, and human dignity over greed.
Our hearts know that love and trust triumph over fear and hatred and that peace and justice are within reach. We have celebrated the resilience of the human spirit and our own courageous sovereignty when our souls are attuned to natural law and the power of Creation. We have felt the Love of God surging through us and found our own wholeness in open-hearted service to all.
Beloved Community demands radical inclusivity and radical inclusivity demands courage and resilience. Beloved Community means everyone and everything and recognises the interdependence and interrelatedness of all that is present. May we all realise our innate courage and resilience in manifesting the dream of Beloved Community; it is the ultimate goal of Interfaith work.
About Open Windows
We, the authors of this blog, dedicate it to the transparent exploration of the world’s sacred scripture and enlightened spiritual thought. We believe that the original inspiration of all faiths comes from a common source, named and revered in a myriad of ways. With that understanding, the innumerable symbols, beliefs, and practices of faith cease to divide. They become open windows to a common reality that inspires and unifies us. We find deeper insight and nourishment in our own faith and from the expression of faith from others.
We hope these weekly quotations and meditations speak to your heart and soul.
Thank you, Berry, for ingeniously linking Lloyd Arthur Meeker with Martin Luther King and celebrating their mutual dream of all people living together in peace and harmony and bringing heaven on earth.
How to make an ordinary town into a Beloved Community?
Our attitude makes a difference.
The presence I carry with me as I interact with people in my daily life, can generate a sense of oneness and belonging, a gratitude for what we have, and for what we can create together.
3 Responses
Thank you, Berry, for ingeniously linking Lloyd Arthur Meeker with Martin Luther King and celebrating their mutual dream of all people living together in peace and harmony and bringing heaven on earth.
How to make an ordinary town into a Beloved Community?
Our attitude makes a difference.
The presence I carry with me as I interact with people in my daily life, can generate a sense of oneness and belonging, a gratitude for what we have, and for what we can create together.
To be a part of a loving community is such an immense gift of life. It is such a great opportunity for us to know that We Are All One. Blessings All……