peace and light

It was a magical weekend. Steve, Erik, Bill and I packed up the Hybrid and headed southeast to Minneapolis. Even with the killer storm on the way, no WAY would we miss Kari's last Christmas Vespers. It was clear all day Friday and Saturday morning, but the snow started around 10AM. Thank goodness we made it to our hair appointments, but as we got coiffed we watched the snow falling heavier and wetter, the cars slipping everywhere. We were going to take a taxi, but they were unreliable time-wise, so I drove to Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis. What a beautiful church it was - high high high ceilings, the chandeliers decorated with elaborate wreaths and balls, candles in deep blue and purple and red votives were lit all around.

The orchestra started up and the main choir came walking in through the back of the church. I saw Kari with her fabulous new haircut and color, and I started crying. It's a big joke in my family, how much and easily I cry - during movies, when I say good-bye, when I'm moved. But I don't care - I love feeling so full in my heart that I'm easily moved to tears. Tonight was no exception. The choir sang "Dona Nobis Pacem" by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Here are the lyrics:

Nation shall not life up a sword against nation,
neither shall they learn way any more.
And none shall make them afraid,
neither shall the sword go through their land.
Mercy and truth are met together,
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth shall spring out of the earth;
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Open to me the gates of righteousness, I will go into them.
Let all the nations be assembled; and let them hear,
and let them hear, and say, it is the truth.
And it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues.
And they shall come and see my glory.
And I will set a sign among them,
and they shall declare my glory among the nations.
For as the new heavens and the new earth,
which I will make, shall remain before me,
so shall your seed and your name remain forever.
Glory to God in the higher, and on earth peace, goodwill toward all.
Dona Nobis Pacem.


And yes, that made me cry. A lot. That was about peace, and I sat there full-hearted once more, wondering why we can't have peace in the world, why we fight all the time, and you can tell me about religions and politics and boundaries, and I don't care. Just because we're different means we have to fight each other. And I wonder what I can personally do about it all, then I realize I can use some of my morning meditation time to just meditate peace, not meditate FOR peace, but meditate the feeling, so maybe others can just FEEL what that perfect feeling of peaceful bliss is like. That's something I can DO, so I will.

The other symbol was light, and some wonderful quotes were used, among them being:

From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon all things and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your light, O God, fills our whole being and is the light unto our path." - Matthew 6:22 - Psalm 119:105

I believe in the truth of all of those words, and I wonder if I have the words to speak my own truth. Sometimes I worry what others may think about me, if I'm strange, or bad, then I think, "How in the world can I be strange or bad if I'm just being myself?" then that makes me feel a little bolder to speak my truth - I think it's CRUCIAL that we each speak what we know, so I take a deep breath and vow to speak more of my total truth, no matter what. What is my truth today? That I think it's imperative that we all wake up, each of us, to what our hearts and souls are telling us. That we connect with that perfect, unblemished part of ourselves and LISTEN to what it's telling us. I think its message is one of love, and trust, forgiveness and patience. Of respect and service to ourselves and others. But most of all, I think our heart's message to us is simply this: "love."