Sunday reflection: Love waits

There's a lot that could be said about today's Feast of Christ the King on this last Sunday of the liturgical year. But I've never been very comfortable with the concept of kingship being tied to our humble carpenter God who came to show us how to live in love with each other and creation even when life is full of challenges and hardships. And in this year when our country is waking up to colonial injustices that were set in motion by greedy monarchs, I much prefer to focus on Jesus' teachings about love -- God's love for each one of us, and the necessity of our love for each other and all of creation.

Farley Magee is our musician at Sunday worship with the Community of Emmaus, and the first time he sang this song he wrote about love, tears ran down my cheeks. This morning, before the whole community was gathered, Farley allowed me to record him singing "Love Waits", and he's also allowing me to share it with the world on Youtube. Please share it far and wide -- our world can always use more love. Lyrics below. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUL-ev8Tcak

 

Love Waits     

by Farley McGee

Love waits for empty spaces,

illuminates dark places

where people need embraces.

For soft hearts and hard cases,

Love waits.

Love speaks, love listens,

cries too where tears glisten,

gathers in when hate scatters,

holds together, and when it matters,

Love speaks.

Love heals broken hearts,

knits together ravelled parts,

strews abroad waiting seeds

to the soil that shows needs.

Love heals.

Take a chance, learn to dance,

let your heart move toward the answer.

Take direction, make connections,

in a round dance, you're a dancer.

Love grows in understanding.

Love knows that we're landing

behind enemy lines, for we're at war,

and that is what love is for.

Love grows.

Leave the faith? Keep that faith.

Acts of faith make us stronger.

If we hope we can cope

with this broken world much longer.

Love hopes and forgives,

seldom dies, mostly lives.

Grows roots, forces shoots

through the pavement 'neath our boots.

Love speaks,

Love heals, 

Love grows, 

Love hopes,

Love lasts,

and always,

Love waits.

"Love Waits" written by Farley McGee and performed by him at Inner City Pastoral Ministry, November 21, 2021.

Video shared with gratitude to Farley McGee.