The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

As we come together today to celebrate Easter, and Passover, and the new beginnings of Spring, I find it appropriate that we also celebrate the dedication of a child -- our son, Benjamin. We honor the potential that his life holds, and we celebrate his officially being welcomed into our church family.

So I am mindful today of new beginnings, and of the circle of life. As we come to the end of winter, or at least what passes for winter around here, Pagans celebrate the rebirth of the land. All the seasons are part of the circle, as the death and decay of fall and winter makes possible the growth of spring and summer. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus following his crucifixion, while Passover commemorates the Exodus and freedom of the Israelites from ancient Egypt and marks the "birth" of the Jewish nation.

All around me I find reference to the inevitability of these cycles.

My father-in-law passed away in February of 2005, and Benjamin was born 3 months later…a time to sow, a time to reap, a time to be born, a time to die.

I’d like to close with the immortal words of the Lion King:

From the day we arrive on the planet--
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round.

And so I light the chalice today for the glorious never-ending circle of life. Blessed be.