Lent 2025 Day 11

William Barber II, Theologian and Activist
Luke 4:16-21 | Matthew 23:37-39

Rev. Dr. William Barber II is a modern-day prophet, calling the church and the nation to return to the biblical mandate of justice. A pastor, theologian, and activist, Barber is best known for reviving the Poor People’s Campaign—a movement originally led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—and for his leadership in the Moral Monday movement in North Carolina, which mobilized faith communities to stand against policies that harmed the poor, sick, and marginalized. He has dedicated his life to preaching the Gospel in a way that not only comforts the afflicted but also challenges the powerful.

In Luke 4:16-21, Jesus stands in the synagogue and reads from the prophet Isaiah, proclaiming that He has been anointed to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom to the oppressed. This moment sets the tone for Jesus' entire ministry—a mission not centered on maintaining religious institutions, but on radically embodying God’s justice. William Barber, much like the prophets before him, calls the church to remember this mission. His voice echoes Jesus’ declaration, reminding us that faith without justice is empty.

But as Matthew 23:37-39 reminds us, prophets are rarely welcomed. Jesus laments over Jerusalem, grieving its rejection of the very ones God has sent to call it back to righteousness. Barber, too, has faced resistance from those who claim to follow Christ yet resist the demands of justice. His work is not easy, and yet, like the prophets before him, he presses on, believing that God’s vision for the world is worth fighting for.

Lent is a season of repentance, a time to ask whether we, too, have resisted God’s call to justice. Have we silenced modern prophets because their words challenge our comfort? Have we turned away from the needs of the poor, the sick, and the marginalized? Or are we willing to follow Jesus’ call, knowing that it may cost us?

Reflection:

• How do Jesus’ words in Luke 4 challenge your understanding of the Gospel? 
• Where do you see modern-day prophets calling the church and society to justice? 
• How can you respond to Jesus’ call to stand with the poor and oppressed? 

Breath Prayer: Inhale: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… Exhale: …to bring good news to the poor.

May this Lent be a time of listening, repenting, and boldly living out the justice of Christ.
Amen.