Sing a Song

At the dedication Mass yesterday, we sang a song as we all entered the new church for the first time. I've sung the song before, but I heard the words more clearly this time since I was really thinking about them in the context of this new place of prayer and worship.

Let us build a house where love can dwell

And all can safely live,

A place where saints and children tell

How hearts learn to forgive.

Built of hopes and dreams and visions,

Rock of faith and vault of grace;

Here the love of Christ shall end divisions

All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.


Funny thing... the word forgiveness stood out to me. Sort of a central theme in Christianity, right? - to the point where I sort of take it for granted sometimes. And that's NOT the part of my "religion" I want to gloss over. So when it stood out to me, I spent the next few minutes trying to figure through a half-prayer, half-self-evaluation WHY it stood out.

Didn't have to think about it for very long, and now with the benefit of over 24 hours of reflection I have come up with a humdinger of an understanding. I have people I need to forgive. Two of the biggest are my mother and my father. And the symbolism of realizing it OUTSIDE the church JUST BEFORE entering isn't lost on me.

I'd like to do the work of forgiving so I can go on singing and walk through those doors celebrating.

"...a house where love can dwell and all can safely live." Amen.