“If like a scientist you will take the raw materials of your mind and your body and process them through the laboratory of humility, prayer and neighborly love, the result will be a second explosion heard ‘round the world. You will be raised into a life of overwhelming love, great peace, and heroic achievement. And these things no man will ever be able to take from you.”
With millions of our Christian and Jewish sisters and brothers celebrating Easter and Passover this past weekend, our Quote of the Week is a message of love that reflects the spirit of joy and renewal of the season. The Easter bombings in Sri Lanka that have taken hundreds of lives and affected thousands of others make this message more poignant, more necessary, and more urgent.
In a rousing speech about citizenship to young leaders, Sargent Shriver spoke about the material potential of Chicago, his home at the time. The year was 1957, and when he asked, “What are we in Chicago famous for? What do we export to the world?,” he suggested that perhaps the city was known for exporting only “material things,” listing the manufactured products for which the city was famous at the time. He then stressed that as citizens, they needed to cultivate deeper, more spiritual gifts to give to each other and to the rest of the world, and it is in this context that he spoke of citizenship, service, and indeed, love.
We invite you to read Sargent Shriver’s words about citizenship today. And we thank you for continuing to be part of our community. We’re grateful that you continue to nurture “the raw materials of your mind and your body” in service and love to our community and to our world.
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