Blessings Come Through Love and Equity | Monday Invocation

“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.”

Psalm 133 NRSVUE

We all bear the image of God and when we allow that image to shine through, even in glimpses, we are empowered to create communities known by their love. The results of our actions are felt by those around us, just as the anointing oil radiates a smell so heavenly that it cannot be contained.

Too many communities merely tolerate differences in identity, experiences and needs of its community members. When we cultivate spaces that center loving all and equity, our unity ushers in a blessing bestowed from the divine—a kin-dom that lasts forever. This unity does not mean that we all agree on everything, but we recognize that in community, we all are at peace, even in our differences, if we love and provide for each other. Recognizing that love and equity means listening to one another, advocating for each other's basic needs and beyond, recognizing that we are all God’s beloved and that we need each other to thrive. 

Sometimes we stop short and think that loving and caring for another is just saying that we do those things, yet we do not follow them up with action. Are we truly creating spaces of genuine belonging? Are we really finding ways to make sure that spaces are accessible to everyone in the community, centering the needs of the most marginalized among us? Or are we content to merely tolerate one another instead?

May we be empowered to center love and equity as we cultivate communities rooted in kinship. This message is not exclusive to the LGBTQ+ community, and so we recognize that we are inspired to create spaces of community, that welcome all and live out that we are all beloved people of God.

Oh, how beautiful is the unity that brings together all those who believe that everyone is worthy of love and equity. We are blessed when we stand with one another, uplifting each other with the affirmation that God loves us and empowers us to love one another well. May this kin-dom be realized and live forevermore.