麻豆约拍

Good morning.

Today is a federal public holiday in America.聽 It celebrates the birthday (last Thursday, actually) of the civil rights activist Martin Luther King.

If we were to institute a similar day in the UK it might well be Stephen Langton day.聽 Langton was Archbishop of Canterbury in the 13th Century, when John was King of England.聽 Rather like Martin Luther King, Langton found himself called upon to speak out for the interests of ordinary people in the deeply uncomfortable tension between an oppressive state and a power-hungry church.聽

If you鈥檝e listened to Radio 4 much in the past few weeks you鈥檒l be aware that this Summer marks the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede.聽 It is thought that Stephen Langton may have been responsible for the drafting of its first version, which contains many clauses that Martin Luther King would have applauded: that the punishment should fit the crime; that justice should not be bought; that every worker should receive a fair day鈥檚 pay for a fair day鈥檚 work.聽

For his troubles, Archbishop Langton was removed from office and exiled in France, though unlike Martin Luther King, he escaped assassination.聽 Both Langton and King lived to see the freedoms they鈥檇 fought for beginning to take hold, but in the words of King, they only got to the mountain-top.聽 Freedom and justice aren鈥檛 guaranteed once and for all by the courage of individuals like Langton and King, but by the constant and costly choices of each of us in the home, the workplace and the polling booth.聽

God of justice, give us a share of the courage of Stephen Langton and the passion of Martin Luther King, so that we can do the costly and painstaking work of building a just and free society, for the honour of your name.聽 Amen.