Our theme for this month is an interesting one, it takes the central value of love and calls on us to do something more with it. It’s not just love, it’s considering the gift of liberating love.
One of the things I hope for folks to be able to find in our congregation is a place to feel cared for and cared about. It’s what our pastoral care does, but it’s also what folks find in our small groups and on Sunday mornings and hopefully in just about everything that we do here. That’s one of the ways that we embody love for one another in our congregations.
There’s also the love in action that is the basis for our social justice work. If we love the world and those in it, love everyone regardless of their status or philosophies or identities. Now of course that doesn’t mean we have to like them! But our faith does call on us to respect the worth of everyone and to open our hearts to the world – that’s love.
Our Soul Matters theme for the month calls for something even more though. It calls for liberating love. That’s love that seeks to liberate others as well as to liberate ourselves from what may be weighing us down or holding us back.
In our Unitarian Universalist tradition, we are called to embody this liberating love in our words and actions. We are called to love not just in a passive sense, but in an active, transformative way. We are called to love in a way that liberates ourselves and others from the chains of prejudice, injustice, and fear. Liberating love is not always easy. It requires us to confront our biases, to challenge our comfort zones, and to stand up against injustice, even when it is uncomfortable or inconvenient. It requires us to listen with empathy, to speak with courage, and to act with integrity.
Yet, despite these challenges, liberating love is a powerful force for change. It has the power to transform hearts, to heal divisions, and to create a more just and compassionate world. And that sounds like just about what our country and communities need right now.
As we navigate our journey of faith, let us strive to embody this liberating love in all that we do. Let us remember that love is not just a feeling, but a commitment to action. In this journey, we are not alone. We are part of a vibrant, loving community that supports us, challenges us, and inspires us to live out our highest values. Together, we can embody a love that liberates, a love that transforms, and a love that heals.
With love and blessings,
Rev. Michelle