Rev. Diane Rollert, May 19, 2019

First light comes early this time of year.
The birds call out in the predawn darkness,
singing their own prayers of redemption.

We who have lost the rhythm of the day
as it shifts through the hours,
hunger for some deeper meaning.
We mourn for cultures and identities lost.
We raise up logic as our god
In the most illogical ways.

We let our leaders bend our hearts
toward hatred and fear
and away from justice.

What do you do
when trust is betrayed?
When your heart is broken,
or you’ve broken someone’s heart,
when your faith is shaken,
when the ground beneath you
no longer feels solid,
and you are lost,
unforgiven or unforgiving?

It takes a leap of faith
To move toward rebuilding
the bridges that have been destroyed.
It takes time and patience
to learn how to trust in yourself,
to welcome self protection
that doesn’t leave you locked
in a narrow, fearful place,
but helps you to embrace
your own vulnerability.

Oh spirit of life,
We are such fragile
and impermanent vessels
in this eternity.
If only we could see more clearly
the intersections of our common humanity.
If only we could accept wholeheartedly
that we are each other’s keeper.
This is our ancestors’ call:
Break not the circle of love,
but make it wider still,
until it embraces all the living.

Take the the hand of the hurting child
who lives inside you,
step together into the light,
welcome the cleansing rain.
Face the thunder and lightning
and rejoice that you have survived.

Though we’ve broken our vows
a thousand times,
surely, there’s nothing left to lose
and everything to gain
when we plant the seeds of trust
in our hearts once more.

Amen.