A Peony for Remembrance

"Flower Communion"

What a gathering-the purple
tongues of iris licking out
at spikes of lupine, the orange
crepe skirts of poppies lifting
over buttercup and daisy.

Who can be grim
in the face of such abundance?
There is nothing to compare,
no need for beauty to compete.

The voluptuous rhododendron
and the plain grass
are equally filled with themselves,
equally declare the miracles
of color and form.

This is what community looks like-
this vibrant jostle, stem by stem
declaring the marvelous joining.
This is the face of communion,
the incarnation once more
gracefully resurrected from winter.

Hold these things together
in your sight-purple, crimson,
magenta, blue. You will
be feasting on this long after
the flowers are gone.

--from Blessing the Bread by Rev. Lynn Ungar, DRE, Starr King, CA

Today our UU congregation celebrated the annual Flower Communion started by Norbert Capek, mid-20th century Unitarian minister in Prague who spoke out against fascism and died in a concentration camp.  Our congregation celebrates by each member bringing a flower from home to deposit in communal vases which the children carry in; at the end of service, each person takes home a different flower.  It's a lovely summertime ritual, filling the sanctuary with color and scent.  We brought two roses--a large pink one and a cluster of miniature pink ones.  We came home with what look like mini-cheddar pinks and also a giant, lovely peony.  


But today, we also said goodbye to our minister, Rev. Kathleen McTigue, who has been called to national office in the UUA.  While we were only members of this congregation for half a year, we were touched by her example of spiritual reflection and growth, eloquent and erudite sermons with liberal doses of poetry, strong moral code and sense of social justice, and lighthearted and welcoming manner with those around her.  We will miss her but will keep her words, spirit, and example with us . . . 

Go in peace.  Believe in peace.  Create peace.