Lent 2025 Day 17

Pauli Murray, Lawyer and Priest
Galatians 3:28 | Revelation 3:1-6

Pauli Murray (1910–1985) was a lawyer, civil rights activist, poet, and priest whose life and work exemplified the radical inclusivity of the Gospel. Born in Baltimore and raised in North Carolina, Murray faced the deep injustices of segregation and gender discrimination firsthand. A brilliant mind and tireless advocate, they became the first Black person to earn a doctorate of law from Yale, and their legal theories later influenced landmark civil rights cases, including Brown v. Board of Education. Murray was also a trailblazer in the church, becoming the first Black woman (and later recognized as a nonbinary figure) ordained as an Episcopal priest.

Murray’s life was one of defying rigid social categories, advocating for a vision of justice that mirrored Galatians 3:28—a world where divisions of race, class, and gender do not define human worth. They lived at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities, yet rather than allow society to dictate their limits, Murray pushed forward, determined to claim the fullness of their God-given identity. Like the church in Sardis from Revelation 3:1-6, which had a reputation for being alive but was spiritually stagnant, many institutions in Murray’s time appeared progressive on the surface but upheld exclusionary practices. Murray challenged these systems, calling them to be truly alive—to match their words with action.

The Book of Revelation warns against resting on reputation alone and calls for true faithfulness. Murray’s work exemplifies what it means to remain spiritually awake—to refuse complacency in the face of injustice. Though they were often met with resistance, their legacy reminds us that faithfulness requires persistence.

Lent is a season of self-examination. Are we living into the radical vision of unity proclaimed in Galatians 3:28? Do we, like Murray, challenge systems that claim to be alive but exclude, oppress, or ignore the marginalized? As we reflect, may we find the courage to embody a faith that truly welcomes all.

Reflection:

• How does Pauli Murray’s life challenge us to think about inclusion in our churches and communities? 
• Where are we called to wake up from complacency and truly live out the Gospel? 
• How can we better reflect the unity in Christ described in Galatians 3:28? 

Breath Prayer: Inhale: In Christ, we are one… Exhale: …Awaken us to justice.

May this Lenten season lead us into deeper awareness, love, and action, so that our faith may truly reflect the inclusivity of Christ.

Amen.