In this Unitarian Universalist Memorial Day sermon, Rev. T. J. Fitzgerald reflects on the legacy of faith, resistance, and sacrifice. Drawing on the stories of Michael Servetus and John Calvin, and the painful truths of war, from the Civil War to World War I to modern-day Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, this sermon challenges us to honor the fallen not just with memory, but with action, courage, and hope.
Rev. Fitzgerald offers five principles of resistance as spiritual tools for navigating a world fractured by fanaticism, injustice, and authoritarian power. Grounded in Unitarian Universalist theology, this message uplifts the enduring values of truth, justice, and love as forces more powerful than hate or tyranny. With references to religious history, personal testimony, and contemporary moral voices like Rev. William Barber III, Rhiannon Giddens, Nick Cave, and Mary Oliver, this sermon calls us to embody resistance in art, community, well-being, solidarity, and fierce hope.
