By Rev Roberto Ochoa
January 19, 2026 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37. New Revised Standard Version Updated)
My dear friends of the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences of the United Church of Christ and beyond:
As I contemplate this reflection, it is January 19th the date we are commemorating the birth of Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr, the pastor and civil rights leader, who with others led a movement for justice and equity in the face of violent racism towards people and communities of Color in this country. In 1965, during the height of institutional oppression to prevent voting rights for African Americans and after a bloody confrontation between protesters and state law enforcement officers, now known as “Bloody Sunday,” in Selma, Alabama; Rev King sent out a call for clergy and leaders of faith to come and support the cause in Selma. And thousands responded to march in solidarity with Rev King, the leadership of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee on a march to Montgomery, the state capital.
Sixty years later, we find ourselves in a similar situation in Minnesota. The brutal actions by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, violating basic civil rights of American citizens, which has caused injury and even death to innocent people for exercising our first amendment rights has hit a breaking point in our beloved nation.
In the “Good Samaritan” parable found in the Gospel of Luke, an expert of the law stood up to “test” Jesus and asked him to define neighbor, to love. Jesus gave three examples of behavior towards a wounded person attacked…two being “respectful” members of society (including a spiritual leader) and one being a detested stranger in the community. The Priest and Levite chose to ignore the victim and the Samaritan demonstrated mercy and came to the victim’s aid. Jesus then asked the expert who was the neighbor to the injured in this case, and the expert replied, “The one who showed him mercy” and “Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”
A coalition of interfaith communities in Minnesota has sent out a call for Leaders of Faith to come and be witnesses and stand with them during this crisis. The Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ is our neighbor north of Iowa and east of South Dakota and our local churches share the same values we hold sacred in our denomination for a just world for all. They are very much part of the struggle to aid the marginalized and vulnerable in their communities.
My friends, I have decided to be a neighbor and heed the call to Minneapolis. I will be there to attend a peaceful march to protest the treatment of ICE to our citizens and immigrants alike on January 22nd and 23rd. I will have an opportunity to witness firsthand what is happening to our neighbors in Minnesota. Many in the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences are aware that I have deep roots in St Paul/Minneapolis, for it is where my adult foundation was formed as an undergrad in Macalester College. I still have close friends there which extends over 50 years. So, this is very personal.
We are called to be good neighbors, and our Minnesota neighbors need our help through prayer and actions of support. Thank you for your prayers as I take this journey as your Conference Minister.
I pray for God’s guidance through the wisdom and courage provided by the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name for ourselves, our churches, our conferences, our wider Church, and our nation.
Bendiciones y Paz,
Rev Roberto