Pastor Pfleger's Statement on his Return to the Pulpit, delivered  on June 22, 2008

"Where Do We Go From Here?"

by Rev. Michael L. Pfleger
Pastor, The Faith Community of Saint Sabina
Sunday, June 22, 2008

First, I would like to thank Francis Cardinal George for reinstating me and for allowing me to return to my ministry at the Faith Community of Saint Sabina.

Second, I would like to thank my staff and leadership for their work, sacrifice, competence, and the great amount of time that they have put in over the last few weeks continuing ministry at the church and caring for the members.

Third, I would like to thank my church family for their prayer, support, and love. Thank you for your notes, emails, flowers, cakes, and all the many signs of your support and concern.

Finally, I would like to thank those in Chicago, and around the world - that stood by me, prayed for me, offered counsel to me, support and even places to stay during this difficult time.

I thank those who chose to balance what I have sought to do throughout the years of my ministry and life, over a one and half minute Youtube.

I appreciate those who were willing to withhold judgement until they knew all the facts.

The road that we travel as Christians is neither straight nor smooth. Rather, it is full of bumps and potholes, trials and challenges, right choices and bad choices. But, I have come to realize over my life that every circumstance can be used for purification and growth, if we are able to go through them with the proper attitude and learn the lessons trials come to teach us.

In fact, the truth is, even in the most difficult trials, we can come out on the other side as Marvin Sapp sings, "Stronger - wiser - and better," for even greater service for God and his kingdom.

Brothers and sisters, one of the fundamental responsibilities of every Christian is to look within self, see the calling that God has placed within them, and allow the word of God to not only dwell in us, but become flesh in us and through us, so that we can become His witnesses and His agents of change

I have learned in life that it is God's word that is like a mirror to see how close or how far away we are from the goodness of Christ and his righteousness and truth, both personally and as a society.

It is God's word that also tells us that Faith without works is dead. So the calling that is for Christ's Church then, has to be an activist calling, that works to change not only self, but the realities of the world into the realities of His truth. We must allow the mirror of Christ's Word to see the truth and to become what God has called us to be.

Paul Tillich, we all know, was a great theologian who spoke great words of justice, but he was not an activist. On the other hand, Ghandi, King, prophets of the scriptures, and yes, Jesus Christ, not only spoke of justice, but in their lives sought to actively effect the evils of society, and producejustice for those who were deprived of it. They insisted that faith had to address problems of politics that held God's children in bondage. They believed that a commitment to personal salvation must mean, at the same time, a commitment to social and structural change. They believed that correct beliefs cannot be separated from correct action.

So, Tillich goes down in history as a great theologian, but King lives on in history as an activist, a fighter for truth, even when it demands personal cost and sacrifice. Because, when theology seeks to change the world, rather than just speak to it, it becomes revolutionary.

I believe the prophetic voice of the church must take the risk to hold up the mirror of God's word, and must force America and the world to see itself fully. Not just the good that it has done, but also the wrong and evil that has caused so many to suffer. The prophetic voice must bring the condition of society before the judgement seat of Righteousness, and ask the question, why are there so many poor and suffering?

This is not done in hate nor anger as some want to dismiss it. For no prophet ever came to people in hate, rather in hope that society would acknowledge its wrong, and commit itself to change.

As a Christian and a Catholic my desire has always been that as church we would be like Christ and use the power of the church to change society where classism, sexism, materialism, militarism, and racism continue to exist. The greatest sin, I still believe, is the sin of racism because it comes against Christ's command to love. Racism, as Condelezza Rice says, "is in the DNA of this country." I want to see our country overcome this sin, and be healed from its neglect and injustice to so many of its citizens.

Because of that, I have chosen to be an activist, as was Dr. King, and like one of my mentors, Msgr. Jack Egan, and encourage those with me whom I pastor, to become activists.

Activists, who act on the principals of the Gospel to eliminate racism and the misery of the masses that suffer in this country and across the world from: poor education, immoral war, lack of healthcare, unjust justice system, lack of economic opportunity, a country where guns have become part of America's wardrobe and where violence has become acceptable in our city streets. We must become activists that level the unequal playing field and challenge the forces that stand in the way of equality, whoever and wherever they are.

This is why prophetic voices are often hated, demonized, beaten , denounced, lied on, and misunderstood. Dismantling systemic injustice and taking up the cross of Christ in the struggle for justice and peace will get you in trouble.

Yet, if we silence the prophetic voice and do not hold up the mirror, then the arrogant voices will rule, and keep our country and world from becoming the Beloved Community God has called us to be, and then the rough and crooked ways will remain, and the mountains and valleys of injustice will become acceptable.

As long as I am pastor, I hope to continue to call the church to take up the cross of Christ, and shatter the ceilings that have kept the gifts, talents and potential of so many poor and disenfranchised, black - white - brown - and yellow, uncultivated.

The Church has that purpose, for the church cannot co-exist with evil or with the oppressor, rather we must be Christ's light in darkness, and be committed to making a difference. We must cause the world to be dissatisfied and uncomfortable until each person's life is reverenced and respected.

Finally, brothers and sisters, I am ever aware of my faults, failures, sins and imperfections. Yet, my prayer is thatwhen people look back over all of my life, they will see an effort, no matter how flawed the vessel, to redeem the soul of America.

The Christ who is my example said, "Be ye perfect, even as the Father is perfect." And that must be mine and all of our task, to seek and to allow God to ever perfect us and prune us.

So, the road I travel of challenges and trials can become not just a manifestation of my imperfections, but moments of purification and cleansing, repentance and grace, allowing opportunities to grow. Therefore, I return to the pulpit committed to the Gospel of justice. I will not let my faults or my imperfections cause me to run and hide, nor allow them to cause me to 'play it safe' or become silent.

Rather, I return to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and commit myself to struggle in history to make it a present reality, by building the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. But I also come back with the words of the great hymn, Blessed Assurance, that the Jesus of mercy and grace, strength and power is mine.

AND THIS IS MY STORY - THIS IS MY SONG - AND I WILL KEEP PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG.