“Let the beauty we love be what we do,” writes poet Rumi. In these troubling days, beauty can be a blessing and a balm.
Summary:
Through a narrative lens, this sermon explores the transformative power of beauty as a vital necessity for the human spirit and social healing. The sermon argues that recognizing and creating beauty serves as an antidote to political division, personal trauma, and environmental decay. By blending personal anecdotes of religious evolution with the wisdom of Indigenous traditions and ecological science, the speaker illustrates how beauty fosters a sense of inherent worth. Examples like the reclamation of urban spaces through Chicano art and the symbiotic relationship of wildflowers demonstrate that beauty is most effective when it is shared within a community. Ultimately, the sermon encourages individuals to engage their senses to find harmony and hope amidst the world’s challenges.