From the Reverend Michele H. Morgan, Priest in Charge
Often in times of tragedy I turn to scripture, especially to Jeremiah, and use that as a balm in seeing the brokenness of the world. I will listen to the spiritual "There is a balm in Gilead" and I feel better. I know that in my brokenness and the brokenness of the world there is goodness and healing. After the All Parish Retreat on Sunday, I went to the 5:00 pm service and heard Justi preach and I had Jessie pray with me. Still feeling angry and sad I went home and watched the Tony awards. I heard Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of the musical Hamilton, accept the Tony Award for best original score with a sonnet. A visibly emotional Miranda addressed the mass killings in Orlando, Florida. He began the speech by thanking his wife Vanessa, "a perfect symphony of one," and ended with the insistence that "love is love is love is love is love. It cannot be killed or swept aside." Here are his words in their entirety:
My wife's the reason anything gets done
She nudges me towards promise by degrees
She is a perfect symphony of one,
Our son is her most beautiful reprise
We chase the melodies that seem to find us
Until they're finished songs and start to play
When senseless acts of tragedy remind us
That nothing here is promised, not one day
This show is proof that history remembers
We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger
We rise and fall and light from dying embers
Remembrances that hope and love lasts long
And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love
Cannot be killed or swept aside,
I sing Vanessa's symphony, Eliza tells her story
Now fill the world with music love and pride
Listening to this I cried and I was reminded that creativity and love trump destruction and hate, every time. So we move forward and we fill/hold/make music, love and hold up our siblings in Christ and all other places.
Please know if you are hurting and need to talk please contact Justi or me.
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