The Least of These

A Message from Head of School Jodi Grass

“No individual or nation can be great if it does not have a concern for ‘the least of these.'”

– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

During college, I was on a study program located in what was then Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), in the Soviet Union. While there, we visited an orphanage for infants and toddlers. It was close to lunchtime, and there were about 25 children at that location. All were awake for our visit. Some of the little ones were playing on the floor, some in cribs, and one in the arms of our tour guide/caregiver. Having been around children all my life, I was stunned by how quiet it was. The facility felt empty. Not one of the children was fussing, whining, or crying. It was explained that babies learn not to cry when no one responds to their tears.

I often wonder if the pervasive silence around poverty, violence, oppression, and exploitation is similar to hearing babies cry when we are not able to respond to them. We may hear the urgency, but the help offered would never be enough to meet seemingly insurmountable needs.

On December 10, 1965, Human Rights Day, Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a speech titled, “Let My People Go.” In it, he states, “No individual or nation can be great if it does not have a concern for ‘the least of these.'” His use of the quote “the least of these” comes from a phrase in the Bible that refers to people in need. It appears in Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus tells his followers to care for those who are hungry, thirsty, sick, imprisoned, or impoverished.

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This message is deeply embedded throughout the eloquent words spoken by the Reverend King for over a decade before he was murdered. He urged us through speeches, sermons, and essays to grasp that humanity has a moral imperative to care for those who are most vulnerable. He pointed to the interconnectedness of all people and the responsibility this understanding brings, challenging humanity to transcend divisions and live in the awareness that we are not separate.

Similarly, Krishnamurti spoke about total responsibility extending beyond oneself and one’s immediate circle to encompass all of humanity. He challenged individuals to examine their complicity in systems of corruption, understanding that the transformation of society begins with the transformation of the self.

Krishnamurti often emphasized that we are not separate from the rest of the world, and not just other humans, but animals, the trees, the sky, and all of life. He spoke and wrote about the divisions created by nationality, religion, race, or ideology that are artificial and serve only to perpetuate conflict and suffering. This reminds me of Dr. King’s assertion that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The teachings of Krishnamurti and Dr. King are a powerful call to recognize that we are one world, bound by a shared destiny. The awareness demands action, urging us to dismantle systems of inequality and care for the most vulnerable among us. Dr. King’s nonviolent civil rights activism and Krishnamurti’s exploration of psychological freedom and self-awareness, both illuminate the possibility of a more just and compassionate world.

January 20 was MLK Day, a day to reflect on our responsibility for the “least of these.” I wonder how we might continue to imbue this work into the other 364 days of the year.

Please talk to your children about oppression. Teach them to honor (celebrate) differences – to stand up against injustice and cruelty. Demonstrate to them how to respond to the needs of others. Consider how we are all connected with a shared future. Dr. King said, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

“What you are, the world is, and without your transformation, there can be no transformation of the world.”

– J. Krishnamurti

This is the sacred conviction of the teachings of Krishnamurti: “What you are, the world is, and without your transformation, there can be no transformation of the world.”