For love of Ron and for the life of the world, A Vigil Meditation of Hope and Healing.

Everything I do, in some way, I do for Ron and in his memory.  On Wednesday night, August 16, I read a meditation I wrote for the Abington community peace vigil.  As I read it, I was wearing the gold heart pendant that contains some of Ron’s ashes. Standing in the midst of my community, I know I do not grieve alone. We grieve together, we hope together. We are one. Here (below) is the meditation.  Permission is granted to use it for your own purposes so that together we can be a source of peace and healing in the world.

Sisters and Brothers of the Abington community and beyond,

Introduction:  Let us gather around closely together.  If you are a believer in prayer, may this be your prayer.  If you are not, may this meditation join you with the collective consciousness of those around you and with people of peace gathered all over the country tonight.

This will be in a “call and response” format.  After each line, all will respond with “We are one.”   (Practice “We are one”)

As we gather during this tumultuous and confusing time in our country’s history, together we say

• We are one.

No matter what forces seek to divide us, together we say

• We are one.

  

No matter the differences in our outward appearances: black or white, Asian, middle eastern or other, together we say

• We are one.

No matter our political affiliation, together we say

• We are one.

Christian, Jew, Muslim, pagan, Hindu, non-believer, together we say

• We are one.

Abled or disabled, old or young, short or tall, fat, thin or in between, rich, poor or somewhere in the middle, together we say

• We are one.

Citizens, immigrants or refugees, together we say

• We are one.

Women, men, straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning, together we say

• We are one.

In our commitment to stand together against violence, together we say

• We are one.

  

In our resolve to undermine the racist power structure, together we say

• We are one.

In our determination to keep our hearts open to one another, together we say

• We are one.

In our love and care for the welfare of our neighbors, together we say

• We are one.

Because we love our country, together we say

• We are one.

Now let us each join one hand with one other person, raise them up in solidarity.  As we grieve for Heather Heyer who died for justice in Charlottsville, let us hold fast to these words from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said: “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”  May we carry that legacy of love forward for every child in this country and for generations yet to be born.  Let us begin tonight, let it begin with me and with you. Together we say:

• We are one.

Again! (We are one 3X)

Amen!

 

 

Marguerite H. Sexton – 8.16.17