won’t you celebrate with me
(Lucille Clifton)
won’t you celebrate with me
what i have shaped into
a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman
what did i see to be except myself?
i made it up
here on this bridge between
starshine and clay,
my one hand holding tight
my other hand; come celebrate
with me that everyday
something has tried to kill me
and has failed.
One doesn’t need seminary training to understand the idea of God being both in and outside of time. Somehow the One we celebrate as Creator of all things was kind enough to give us day and night, work and rest, rhythmn and remembrance marked through time. Surely we should take time each day to be silent, to reflect and rejoice in all that the Lord has done. But even the most devoted of us doesn’t always take as much time as we perhaps should to simply celebrate. To invite joy and laughter, tears and tiredness, all in the effort of rejoicing at how far we’ve come. To name the blessing and gift of persevering to see the light of God burn brightly in the world and in our lives. Celebration is a time we can be thankful for each other, be thankful for life and love, be thankful to God.
The women at Sari Bari teach us how to celebrate. These beautiful heroes, only some among many in our community, have seen the darkest face of humanity but have chosen to follow the path of abundant life. To believe fully in their worth. To dance and sing and celebrate that they bear the image of God. The cover photo is of Sari Bari, a place where freedom birthdays, the anniversary of each woman’s new craft and new life, are celebrated. These women remind us of what it is to laugh. In their eyes we see God’s smile. We see the light that no darkness can overcome. As Lucille Clifton reminds us, there is joy in the lives we have shaped together. At seeing ourselves in the image of God and responding. Of joining the Holy Spirit in making things new. That which has tried to kill hope and joy has, over the last 20 years, consistently failed. This is the heart of Word Made Flesh: a beautiful orchid that blooms amidst concrete (see photo, p.17)
In this issue, we take pause to truly remember the triumphs we have born witness to, together. And we ask together a simple question: won’t you celebrate? This is a special edition that gives but a glimpse into the last 20 years of WMF. First, we celebrate the gifts and graces of each of our community, of the stories and lives that shape our identity. Just like our Christian faith, at the center of this issue are our Memorials, a place where we remember our friends and their lives, and the ways they continue to help us point to the Resurrection. Finally, we revisit the core values of our community with “vintage” reflections on our nine lifestyle celebrations. In the midst of this, Chris and Phileena , our Co-Directors, especially invite you not only to celebrate, but to respond to the jubilance of our community with your continued love and support for what God is doing here (p.3).
Consider it a way of celebrating the next 20 years of Word Made Flesh today.