The month of April gets its name from the goddess Aprilis, the Roman’s version of the goddess Aphrodite. The name quite literally means “to open,” which is exactly what this month is all about – we are invited to open to new paths of life that encourage us to grow into the fullness of who we are at this moment in time.
Not only are we invited to open ourselves to new paths of life at a personal level, but we are also beginning to engage in this conversation as a congregation. At the congregational conversation held on March 26th, I heard very clearly the call to begin to engage the question of who we are as a congregation moving into the future. This is a very timely conversation to be engaged in as we figure out new ways of being coming out of the pandemic while at the same time facing the financial realities of congregational life.
Let us use this time in this month to open our minds to the reality of our lives as it exists at this moment in time. Let us be open to the understanding that the world we live in as human beings is constructed from our own reflections of how we see ourselves in the world. Let us be open to new ways of how we do church. It is through our spiritual practices that we engage in through our Soul Matters programs, or our own that work for us, that help us to open our minds so that we can begin to see ourselves, this congregation, and the world in pragmatic and compassionate ways. The month of April reminds us to open ourselves to the possibility of responding in ways that are not pre-programmed, or automatic.
They say that “April showers bring May flowers.” Take some time this month to spend time working in the earth, enjoying the beautiful spring days, or a beautiful sunset. In those moments, open your heart to the wondrous possibilities that life holds for us all. Reflect on what energies you’d like to sprinkle in your life, and in the life of this congregation, for flowering. Let us sprinkle the seeds of possibilities that grow beautiful hearts filled care, filled with the power of connection, and filled with the openness to change.