Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48
Since the late sixties, my parents hosted the Borough of Cape May Point's bicycle parade. The fire department trucks led the parade of bicycles, all decorated for the 4th in red, white and blue, around our town. They all ended up on our front lawn. My mother decorated the front of the house, made gallons and gallons of Kool-Aid and put out hundreds and hundreds of cookies. When my father passed in 1994 she kept up the tradition. We all helped when we were there. Our hosting ended in 2015 when my mother had passed and the house was sold. My parents gave me a reverence for our country, and sense of hospitality for the whole community and the simple joys of simple celebrations with neighbors. What a rich and beautiful legacy they have left us. May we all have gratitude for the freedoms we have and commit to serving our communities, always working toward real freedom and inclusion for all.
Wondrous Creator, you gave this sacred land
for the original people to care for and delight in
and you made a place for pilgrims and refugees
despite the greed and cruelty that is our past and present.
Throngs of loving families were separated
Throngs of people captured and enslaved
Thousands upon thousands taken from parents
and made to know no freedom in this land.
May we understand liberty to be truly for all
Help us to undo the abuses and torments of racism
let us ring the true bells of freedom which herald love
love diverse, complex and all-inclusive as you are. Amen.
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