Rev. Maggie Foote, member of the Becoming Beloved Community Task Force and priest of the Latino Ministry Center, offered the convocation at the December 20 swearing-in ceremony of Jessica Miranda, who is now serving as State Representative of the Ohio House District 28.
Maggie shares, “Today I was honored to offer the convocation at the swearing-in ceremony of Jessica Miranda who I have personally witnessed working relentlessly for the families and residents of Ohio House District 28. I am proud to call her a friend, and grateful that she’ll be representing the community that my church serves. Here’s what I said for her, but really it’s a prayer for all of us.
“It is my great honor to be here this morning for the swearing-in of Jessica Miranda as State Representative. As we all know and have seen first hand, Jessica has worked tirelessly in pursuit of the opportunity to represent Ohio’s 28th House District. And, as I’m sure Jessica knows, the hard work is really only just beginning.
So this morning, I invite you to join me in calling on the Spirit of love that has bound each one of us together in what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once called an “inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.”
We give thanks for Jessica’s willingness to serve her community, and for her strong sense of justice.
May she never lose sight of her commitment to the common good, and continue to inhabit a spirit of openness to new possibilities and new solutions.
May she be empowered to carry out her new role with integrity, courage, and humility.
We give thanks for Jessica’s family; Jose, Ana, Gabby, and Victoria.
May they continue to inspire Jessica to advocate for the rights of immigrants, women, and children.
We give thanks for the residents of the communities that Jessica has been elected to represent.
May their voices never be silenced. May they learn to bear one another’s burdens, and share in one another’s joys.
May Jessica be blessed with a wisdom so great that she may know when to compromise, when to hold her ground, and when to call on the wisdom of others.
And may she be blessed with a compassion so great that she may stand in solidarity with the poor, the over-worked, the marginalized, the sick, the lonely, and the oppressed.
And may a hope be kindled in each one of our hearts this morning that our dream of a more just society will one day come true, and in the mean time, may our resolve be strengthened, our eyes focused, and our feet moving forward.
Peace be with you all.” —Rev. Maggie Foote
