Today we honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by remembering not only his words, but the prophetic witness and collective courage that sustained a powerful movement for justice. Dr. King and those who organized during the Civil Rights movement, understood that transformation is never the work of a single leader—it is forged in community. People of faith and conscience chose to side with love. They cared for one another, freed one another from jail, shared resources, and grieved together when the state responded to demands for justice with violence.
To Side With Love is to proclaim a fierce, abundant love. It is a love that is clear, courageous, and accountable. It calls us beyond our comfort and to align our values with our actions. To Side With Love is to reject the lie that faith can remain neutral in the face of injustice, and to affirm the liberating power of love.
The struggles we face are not merely political debates. They are moral and material battles over who belongs, who is protected, and whose lives matter. Dr. King said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.” Unitarian Universalists have a long history of showing up in movements for justice, and we are continually called to deepen and renew our commitment to mutuality and our collective thriving.
When we proclaim that Black Lives Matter, that trans people are divine, that no one is illegal, that we must Abolish I.C.E. and Free Palestine, we are not making abstract statements. In this moment, let our allegiance be unmistakable. Let it be to healing, justice, and collective liberation.
On this day, may we move closer to our commitments and deeper into our faith. May we build communities capable of courage, care, and sustained struggle toward a new world. May we Side With Love not only in what we say, but in how we live, organize, and act together.
In faith,
Side With Love
