[vc_single_image image=”14198″ img_size=”700×400″ alignment=”center”][special_heading title=”” subtitle=”by Emma Moore” separator=”no”]
Scripture
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. Song of Solomon 8:6-7
Reflection
There is power in love. Don’t underestimate it. Don’t over-sentimentalize it. There is power, power in love. Bishop Michael Bruce Curry
I have been a fan of the royal family for as long as I can remember. I distinctly remember my father telling me about Princess Diana’s death as a young child—at the time when he said the Princess of Wales had died, I assumed he meant whales like the animal. But as I grew up, I figured it out, read many books on the royal family, admired the oh so cute teenage princes who were maybe a little too old for me and was so excited for William and Kate’s wedding back in 2011. So much so, I convinced my high school Sociology teacher to put coverage of the royal wedding on the TV instead of having class that day.
So with this in mind, I was just as excited for Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle this past weekend. I stocked up on tea and scones, set my alarm for 4:30AM and went to bed expecting a fairy tale. And while the wedding was very much a fairy tale, I was so surprised by how diverse the ceremony was and so blown away by the message of social justice during the homily by Bishop Michael Bruce Curry, presiding bishop of the American Episcopal Church. Bishop Curry’s message challenged the billions of royal wedding viewers to recognize the power of love to make “this old world a new world.”
The royal wedding was the celebration of love between a young couple, a similar love to what Jesus Christ has for us, and in using the love, this redemptive, powerful love, we can change the world. If we respond in love, we can end hunger. If we respond in love, we can provide homes for the unsheltered. If we respond in love and see everyone around us as family, children of God, we might just create justice.
When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook.
Prayer
God, help us to respond in love, help us to create justice and help us know the power of your love and share it with others and may you hold us all in your almighty hands of love.
Intention
Remember the power of, and respond in, love.
