Most of us of a certain age know the rest of that line: “is love, sweet love”. Hal David wrote those lyrics in 1965, and it is as true now as it was then.

The world’s need for love was also true when St. Luke wrote “You shall love the Lord your God . . . and your neighbor as yourself.”  (10:27) If you read the context of the passage, it is Jesus’ response to the question, “What is the most important commandment?” What follows Jesus response is the parable of the Good Samaritan, a parable of love, kindness, mercy and compassion, an example of caring for one another with the love of God. Truly, our world needs more of this love, sweet love, to bind its wounds.

I must admit that in the midst of the negative political rhetoric, violence in our streets and schools, and multiple wars abroad, I often feel helpless and even hopeless at times. I even feel numbed by so much anger and hate around me that love feels impossible. Sometimes I struggle to know what I could do that would have any possible impact.

When I cannot love right now, I can pray. Prayer, after all, is not about changing God’s mind or about changing other people’s minds; it is about changing my heart. I can pray for God to forgive me when I cannot love as God asks. I can pray that God warm my numb heart so it can feel again. I can pray that God show me how to love my neighbors, even the ones I don’t agree with. I can pray to understand the issues that divide us. I can pray to find common ground, even if the only common ground I find is that we are all beloved children of God.

Another prayer I offer is the Loving Kindness meditation. There are many versions of the meditation, but one I prefer goes like this: “May I be safe. May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I live in peace no matter what I am given. May my heart be filled with love and kindness.” It felt strange and selfish at first, but as Luke wrote, love of neighbor begins with love of self. Only when I feel loved can I offer love to others. I repeat the prayer as many times as I need to until love and kindness settle into my being. Then I can change the “I” to another pronoun or to someone’s name and send the love and kindness to someone I am close to, to someone I care about, even to someone I struggle with, and eventually to everyone and everything.

May we all be safe. May we all be happy. May we all be healthy. May we all live in peace no matter what we are given. May our hearts be filled with love and kindness.

-Marge Lindell

P.S. A link to my preferred version of the Loving Kindness meditation can be found here.