Cosmic love – Jesus and people of many faiths

There is One Power which we call by many names: Eternal Wisdom—life force—creative energy—God, Goddess and Gaia—Cosmic parent and Pentecostal flame. The Power that spins the universe into being is manifest in our being: hearts, words, actions.

For this life, this energy, this wisdom – we give thanks.

We celebrate the gifts of other faiths and cultures: parable and koan, whakamatau and midrash, paradox and pun. For the Koran and the Torah, Vedic Scriptures and Bhagwad Gita, for Korero o Nehera, we give thanks.

We give thanks for the stories of Jesus, of Hagar and Joshua and Eve, of Ruth and Peter and Hannah, Moses and Saul, Rahab and Beatrice, Jonathon and Martha.

We give thanks for the story-tellers, the wise ones around the fires, the grandmothers perching us on their lap, the uncles or neighbours or school teachers who read to us. For fables and poems and folklore, bible stories and classical myths, for Maui and Tane, for the Dawn Maiden and the Sky Father, for Harry Potter and Anne of Green Gables, we give thanks.

We turn our thoughts to others – beyond our personal concerns, to the world around us. We take a few moments to think of people, groups or situations for whom we have care and concern. We hold in our hearts those who are suffering bereavement and loss, uncertainty or fear, illness or isolation.

Emboldened by heroines and anti-heroes of the past and present, we call on the creative life power of the universe, on our resources, experiences, wisdom and intuition: to live our faith; to brave the present and risk the future; to heal the earth and each other.

To live that cosmic love shown in the life of Jesus, and the lives of women and men of all ages, all cultures and beliefs.

So may it be.