It is a beautiful thing, new life.
We see how tender and fragile it is, yet how strong.
It has the spark!
When you and I were newborn,
the world was fresh
and everything was possible.
Do we still have that spark?
If we lost it, have we found ways to revive it?
And have we found a way to share our spark of life with others?
It is the vitality in us that others seek.
It is our vitality they need.
When we find the best way to share our vitality,
we have found our path in this world.
Our vitality comes from our heart.
As we fill our hearts with spiritual treasure
(loving souls, nature, scripture, literature, art, music, history…)
our hearts become bigger and stronger, more full of life.
We become more able to give, more able to lead.
As we transfer our vitality to others,
we bring about rebirth.
We bring new life into the world.
Shall we look at some ways this can happen?
Let’s DO this!
A celebration of new life
A few days ago, I led a ceremony for my brother and his wife to celebrate their vows.
They married last July during covid when no one could attend.
My brother asked me if I would lead the ceremony,
so I planned and put it together, wrote my speech and composed the prayers.
I wanted to honor their vows and at the same time do honor to my brother
as a civil rights leader and to his wife, a woman of color.
Here is the core of what I said:
“How beautiful it is to be alive, and to gather here together today!
This day is a victory.
Not only a victory for life and love,
but a victory for freedom itself.
There was a time in the not too distant past
when we could not have gathered peacefully to celebrate this union.
A time we all remember, when we did not have the freedom to do so.
But we do now, thanks to the struggle and sacrifice and courage
of the brave young souls in the 1960’s who went South to fight for freedom.
My brother Tim Hall was one of them.
Reflecting on his time in the South, Tim wrote these words:
“Do not believe you cannot change men’s hearts.
The hearts of some men are changing the world,
and the world will turn around and change the hearts of the others.”
Change in the hearts of Americans brought about a resurrection of freedom.
One that is still taking place, for we still have a long way to go.
But we will get there.”
Resurrection Happens
All of us believe, one way or another, in resurrection.
Every day when the sun comes up again, we see it happen.
Every spring when the incredible re-emergence occurs
–little green leaves peeping up through the snow–
we see it happen.
And when we are deep in grief, we have to pray hard to see it happen,
but it does.
We get out of bed and face life again, and we see it happen.
When we celebrate a marriage, this is what we are celebrating:
we are celebrating the resurrection of love.
Both partners have loved before, and both have suffered the loss of that love.
Yet love has re-emerged like the green leaves in spring
to bring them together.
Just as love has brought us all through this long painful winter
to breathe free in the summer sun once again.
To be renewed and reborn
so each of us can resume our loving efforts
to bring new life into the world.
QUESTION:
Was there a time in the past when you re-emerged and felt almost like a new person?
I hope you will write and tell me about it!
Dr. Hall