I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.



Those words are taken from the speech by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. accepting the Nobel Prize for Peace on December 10, 1964. Dr. King was born on this date in 1929, although the holiday celebrating his birth won't come until Monday.



I've always found 28 August, the anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and of Rev. King's great "I Have A Dream" address, a more moving and evocative date, a more fruitful time to remember the man and his work. Reflections on that date are made even richer by the fact of its being the feast of Saint Augustine, bringing echoes of his writing on the City of God.



So the unitive and noble dream of Martin Luther King is again in my mind. But how frequently the world (and we) forget the foundation of that dream, the inspiration of King's ministry, the Lord whose Spirit makes it possible for young men to see visions and old men to dream dreams. How gracious is the Lord. And how comforting it is -- what another reminder of the cloud of witnesses by which we're surrounded -- to quote Luke quoting Peter quoting Joel.



There's a gracious coincidence of birth dates today, too. Eleanor Henrietta Hull was also born on this date, in 1860. Passionate in her devotion to Gaelic culture and literature, one of the fruits of that devotion is her verse rendering of an 8th century poem that, married to the folk melody "Slane," is the glorious hymn Be Thou My Vision.



Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.



Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.



Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.



Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.



High King of heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.