Morning has come, arise and greet the day!
Dance with joy and sing a song of gladness!
The light of hope here shines upon each face.
May it bring faith to guide our journey home.
As we lifted our voices to sing these words recently at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett, I was immediately filled with such emotion that I could barely sing, barely contain the tears that welled up in my eyes. It WAS morning. I was in a community that WAS singing and dancing with gladness. I DID have hope in my life, and I DID feel that these were true guides in my life. AND, I was at the same time able to consider those who did not have hope in their lives. I felt vulnerable, grateful,and so privileged.
A new day dawns, once more the gift is giv’n.
Wonder fills this moment shared together.
The light of peace here shines upon each face.
May it bring faith to guide our journey home.
By the second verse, I am not sure I actually voiced more than a word or two. I was so filled with emotion. These words were so true! We spend so much time saying so many words each day, but so few feel this true! I live such a privileged life. I have seen a new day dawn. I experience wonder in the sanctuary where my community gathers each week. I do know moments of peace in my life, and in my world, I witness moments of peace on the face of others. I am growing older, and having recently celebrated the life of a beloved elder of our community in her death, I cherish a new meaning of the word “home.”
Open our eyes, to see that life abounds;
Open our hearts to welcome it among us.
The light of love here shines upon each face.
May it bring faith to guide our journey home.*
These are the things that guide our life right now, and ultimately which guide our journey home: joy and gladness; the light that hope gives; experiencing gifts and giving; wonder that is shared; the light that peace gives–true peace; the abundance of life; open hearts that welcome; the light that love gives. I realize as I list them that I do, often enough, experience these things, and that makes me privileged.
There are far too many people in this world who do not experience these things. Social justice is the work of compassion: seeing ourselves in the lives of others, especially when they suffer, and extending ourselves to alleviate their suffering. Each time that we do that, I believe . . .
Morning has come . . .
Bob Patrick
*Morning Has Come, Singing the Journey, p. 1000
One of my favorite songs to sing