Yesterday, I spent several hours in Room 320 of the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse, answering the summons to jury duty. Alongside dozens of other Baltimoreans, I entered a space dedicated to the everyday work of democracy.
As we prepare to observe Juneteenth, I found myself reflecting on the significance of the experience. This holiday reminds us that freedom is both precious and hard-won – not merely something we possess, but something we practice.
What struck me most in the jury assembly room was the positive energy and diversity of neighbors gathered there – people from every walk of life, all saying “yes” to serving our community. Around me, people worked quietly on laptops, read books, shared kindnesses and conversations, and waited attentively for their turn to participate. It was a simple but powerful reminder that justice depends on ordinary people showing up for the common good.
One unexpected gift of the day was discovering an old work colleague in the courthouse line. What began as a chance encounter became a shared journey as we caught up on life’s joys and challenges over lunch. In many ways, the day echoed stories our returning pilgrims have shared about the Camino, where strangers become companions and ordinary moments become sacred encounters. In that courthouse room designed for waiting, I found the same.
Though I was not selected to serve on a jury, I left grateful for the experience. Looking around the room, I saw people gathered by a common purpose: the pursuit of fairness and justice. Our legal system is imperfect, yet it depends on citizens willing to participate. In the attentiveness of prospective jurors, the professionalism of court staff, and the hopes carried by everyone involved, I caught a glimpse of God’s presence.
Justice, after all, is not merely a legal concern; it is a spiritual one. The prophet Micah reminds us that God calls us “to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly” (Micah 6:8). Showing up for our communities is one way we participate in that calling.
As we celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth, I find myself reflecting on a deeper freedom: the freedom God gives each of us to become who we were created to be. As our Singing Resistance song reminds us, “none of us are free until all of us are free.” Freedom flourishes when we seek justice, extend mercy, walk with our neighbors, and offer our gifts in service to the common good.
That is what I witnessed in the jury room: people from different walks of life participating in freedom together. There was justice in the purpose that brought us there, joy in the unexpected connections we shared, and a journey that reminded me how God meets us in ordinary places.
As we give thanks for the freedoms made possible by those who journeyed before us, where might God be inviting you to participate more fully in freedom?
Much love,