Coming together to honor Martin Luther King Jr.

HAMDEN — Those gathered at Congregation Mishkan Israel varied in creed, belief and background. But they came together to worship and sing as one.

The temple held its annual interfaith service to mark the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Thursday evening.

Rabbi Emeritus Herbert Brockman served as the keynote speaker upon the occasion, following in the footsteps of King, who addressed the congregation in 1961.

Drawing from King’s example, Brockman addressed what he considers the defining civil rights issue of our time — immigration — in his remarks.

He drew a comparison between the vision of two Kings — one, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, as well as the modern Republican Party as shaped by the administration of President Donald Trump; the other, Martin Luther King Jr. — for this country and how it welcomes immigrants, tracing the threads of the two viewpoints through American history, seeking answers to basic questions like “who are we?” and “who do we want to become?”

He urged those in attendance to embrace immigrants, to embrace their fellow man, and welcome them to his country — to stand alongside King, seek justice, and believe in the American tradition.

“Martin Luther King gave his life for his love of country. King’s greatness was his absolute belief in the rightness and righteousness of the American ideal. Before King’s patriotism, all dark forces of nativism, supremacy and prejudice paled. He staked his life on (a) life of brighter and better things, a land of equality, dignity and freedom,” said Brockman. “My friends, we have seen these days before. We have spent generations battling those who would make America sharp and small and scared.”

“We have risen; we have challenged; we have dragged ourselves to a more perfect union. We have done so by seeing ourselves and our own histories in the eyes of the other. By choosing compassion and mercy and grace, we are far richer and freer and a more prosperous people. In our shared humanity, we find our empathy and our strength. We find the proud and dusty pages of our story, that proves that ours is a country unafraid to open, extend and expand.”

Through the service, prayers were offered for unity, for welcome, for the love of God, for the glory of God, for humanity and the world.

“We pray for love to encompass us for no other reason save that we are human / for love through which we may all blossom into persons who have gained power over our own lives,” said Omer Bajwa, Muslim chaplain at Yale University.

“We pray to stand upright, we fallen; to be healed, we sufferers. We pray to break the bonds that keep us from the world of beauty; we pray for opened eyes, we who are blind to our own authentic selves,” said Rev. Allie Perry of the Shalom United Church of Christ.

“Let the time not be distant when all shall turn to you in love, when corruption and evil shall give way to integrity and goodness, when bigotry shall no longer enslave the mind, nor prejudice blind the eye,” said Rev. Jack Davidson of Spring Glen Church and Rev. Bonita Grubbs. “May all, created in your image, become one in spirit and one in friendship, forever united in your service. Then shall your realm be established on earth, and the word of Your prophet fulfilled.”

The Most Rev. Peter Rosazza, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus with the Archdiocese of Hartford, offered a benediction at the close of the service, praying to give thanks for King’s life, work and example.

“Though his life was taken by a violent act — something he sensed would happen — his legacy lives on in his person, his writing, and his intercessory prayer from heaven. All challenge our society to conform to the best of our traditions — that each and every human being deserves respect, and that every human being, and every human life, is of inestimable value,” said Rosazza.

“We state with Dr. King — I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional truth will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.”