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PRAISE GOD, FROM
WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW
(Note: we had
permission to print the text during Lent but have had to remove
the text after Lent. Refer to your hymnal for the text.)
My mother’s side
of the family is crazy —
not exactly certifiably crazy, but the religions are
several times plural and the lifestyles are diverse.
My grandparents
are divorced. My grandma’s family was German Lutheran, and my
grandpa’s father was a Methodist minister. My great-aunt is a
practicing Unitarian from the Deep South.
My mom’s sister
married a Jewish man, and they live in California. When my two
cousins were little, they asked “Are we Christmas tree or
menorah?” They’ve been menorah ever since, although one is married
to a Hindu man from India.
My uncle used to
live on a communal farm, and he follows the Muslim teachings of a
Sufi mystic from Sri Lanka. But if you ask him, he’ll tell you,
“Me and Jesus are tight, man.”
My other uncle
has kids with a woman who was raised Jewish. They have chosen not
to marry. They’re undecided between Christmas tree and menorah,
but he might be more of an agnostic.
The prospect of
saying grace before a family meal has this Kansas farmer’s
daughter running for the hills! We’ve had reunions, confirmations,
bat mitzvahs and weddings, and we’ve discovered a solution: We all
sing the doxology.
Although I love
the simple words and melody, it’s become a running joke. Potential
awkwardness dissipates when we launch into our rousing (and
slightly off-key) rendition of “Praise God, from Whom All
Blessings Flow.” We avoid tiptoeing through the minefield of
religion and theology with these four lines. This verse brings joy
and amusement at a time when our differences could be most
heightened. Anyway, the sooner we can get to the conversation of
the actual meal, the sooner we can all talk politics!
Dear God, help me
look for similarities before pointing out differences. Teach me
that normal is not another word for “my way.” Allow me to
appreciate opportunities of diversity.
Jennifer Worrel
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