Rev. Budde,
May you feel our deep appreciation
for your courage,
your compassion,
your voice
speaking for us:
those whom you bravely named as vulnerable
and those whose hearts are broken
for all who are so vulnerable now.
You spoke for all who believe in mercy
and continue to dream
about the beloved country* we could become.
May you feel a circle of our love,
of our admiration
and of our gratitude
surrounding and protecting you.
May each of us find that place within our souls
where courage erupts
like a great river
that can’t be held
by any dam.
May the words of the prophet Micah** live inside of us
that we may
“do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God”
through the challenging times that lie ahead.
*Dr. King describes ‘beloved community’ as a principle of nonviolence.
**Micah 6:8
