April 26 - “ An Unbroken Chain of Garlands, Cherry Blossoms, and Grape Arbors”
An Unbroken Chain of Garlands, Cherry Blossoms, and Grape Arbors
April 26, 2026
Kyle Tong
as we look to the hills
our hearts a.empt to li1 as well
with a promise of a cleansing
of the earthly clu.er of our
fallibility
this is a dark place
spurred on by events and callous
decisions
made by individuals who view self over
stewardship
greed over goodness
selfishness over service
cronyism over the common good
false idols over faith
when I despair I take
an internal journey
to seek council in my mind’s eye
breaking bread with fellow seekers
who have searched to find peace
in their world—both secular
and religious
these folk some insiders, some outsiders
share a common trait
they are not people who deconstruct
rather they are synthesizers
as Gandhi sits he pushes away the chair
and se.le on the floor
an angular gentle man in comfort
how do we face these trying Cmes
I ask
He looked at me and gestured—spreading
His hands
A truth is a truth and a wrong is a wrong
One must not accept a wrong—but
Not correct it with a wrong
The power of your conduct and your faith
Will be a beacon—for others to see and
Draw strength
but at some point we must protect
the most vulnerable
Dorothy Day strode to the table
the bohemian suffrage.e turned catholic
champion for the impoverished
had seen suffering
suffering of the hungry, the disenfranchised
and the violence against women
Dorothy, I agree said a robust cleric
ssLng at the tables end
Reinhold Neibuhr, ChrisCan theologian
and acCvist held that faith and its rigor
turned into secular acCon
chrisCan truth morphed into the poliCcal
common good
hence fundamental change in society
FDR wheels to the table
cigare.e holder clamped firmly in his mouth
pure ChrisCan faith is a power for good
twisted faith is a weapon for evil
I’ve seen it used to divide races and creeds
exclusive not inclusive—be careful of the soothsayer
at the edge of the room a deep voice
boomed
their will be false prophets, said MarCn
but for the oppressed that is not a reason
to concede
we need to humanize hatred
hatred is most o1en conducted in isolaCon
directed to fear and what one knows not
if you demand closeness you become part of
the family of humankind
and with that inCmacy comes the roots
of caring
a man stood up towering over all
with a laconic smile
that engaged, disarmed, and pulled in
Mandela knew of twisted faith
he was imprisoned for being
one of the people of Ham
who dared to be equal in apartheid
twenty-seven years of pounding rocks
he never le1 the Cller of his ship nor blamed
others for his lot
persistence in search of the truth led to
a new South Africa
a.ained peaceably through persistence, reconciliaCon, and---
love
love is the word you want Nelson
the diminuCve Mother Theresa gently
touched his hand and said again
love—uncondiConal love of all living things
life is a sacred journey to be celebrated
and supported by all
the last to the table is a LaCna woman
a woman of presence, Dolores Huerta
I ask all of you what to do with
anger and shame
I have fought the good fight for the common good
but I was betrayed and violated
in the most heinous of ways
forgiveness and grace will get me so far
how can I –and others
have peace
many have answers
some raise even more quesCons
such is the fate of the human quest
--the pursuit for meaning—in someCmes meaningless pursuits
--the search for faith—in a world of cynicism and faithlessness
--the quest for uncondiConal love—amongst many who demand to have
strings a.ached
our diners provided in unbroken chain
in this need for understanding
glimmers of hope, courage, meaning, and cauCon
to add a link of life and love
to the chain
