Summertime

The Summer Solstice marks the beginning of Summer and the end of lengthening days. As the days grow shorter, slowly at first, we enjoy warmer weather and a season of growth.


For a couple of weeks or so
  around this weekend
    we may not be noticing any change
      in the length of our days.

That's true because of the Solstice,
  and it's true for both Solstices, Winter and Summer.

The word, solstice, refers to the sun
  standing still
    in what appear to be its half yearly movements
      from north to south or south to north
        as opposed to the daily apparent movements
          from east to west.

I don't want to spend too much time
  on the astronomy,
    but the transition is important
      in terms of our experience
        of the Four Seasons.

Summer began yesterday at 2:43 p.m. PDT,
  and as summer begins
    it also begins to come to an end.

For this reason,
  today, the first full day of Summer,
    can be a melancholy day
      for people in northern, cooler climates.

Of course, without this occasion
  and everything it means,
    the days would get longer and hotter
      until our climate would become
        impossible to live with.

In fact, it's possible to find hope
  in the experience of either solstice,
    the start of Winter or the start of Summer.

The first day of Winter, its own Solstice,
  marks also the beginning of Winter's end,
    even if it seemed as though
      wintry, chilly, wet weather
        would never end in our part of the world
          until just the last few days.

Warmth and light are vital
  for all of the things we need
    for the nourishment of our bodies
      as well as the nourishment of our feelings,
        our hearts and souls.

The sun has therefore been an object of worship
  for as long as objects of worship have existed.

The source of all life
  would have to be something
    to be held in reverence.

With that in mind, it seems appropriate
  that Father's Day falls on a Sunday each year,
    close to the Summer Solstice.

The Greek God, Apollo of the Brilliant Light,
  is an appropriate symbol for Solstice
    and for Father's Day.

His daily task with his chariot and horses
  was to pull the sun across the sky.

He was father to many children,
  and he was revered as an oracle
    and as a source of healing.

Ironically, he was also a bringer of plagues.

As such, he could be
  an appropriate symbol of our times,
    on both counts,
      the plague and the healing.

In our part of the world
  we are coping with two kinds of plague:
    One is a dangerous virus
      and the other is a dangerous sickness of society.

Sunlight can aid in the healing of both.

Like most viruses,
  the coronavirus that causes COVID-19
    cannot survive long
      in the ultraviolet light of the sun.

Like many social ills,
  racism cannot survive long
    in the light of undeniable information.

The truth is that all people are born with equal rights
  and that is the kind of light
    now cleansing our world.

Sometimes we think of the forces of light
  and the forces of darkness
    as absolute opposites,
      like good and evil.

The truth is that it simply does not work that way
  in ourselves or in the world in which we live.

We require both light and darkness
  in order to survive.

The shadow side of ourselves
  is as important to our well being
    as the light side. 

Guess which one we generally prefer to show!

Yet the light and the dark come together
  to bring us to deeper understanding of truth.

Without the quiet of winter
  the busy, bright times of summer
    would wear us out much faster,
      quite literally.

The balance of light and dark can be seen every day
  with sunrise and sunset.

That may be one reason
  that so many people love
    both sunrise and sunset so much.

The balance of light and dark
  gives us beautiful shades of many colors
    as sunlight is filtered through the atmosphere.

Watching a summer sunset
  can give us a beautiful feeling
    of the meaning of the Summer Solstice.

I have a favorite verse to sing about it.

I'm going to try to sing it via Zoom.

You all can let me know how it works -
  or how it doesn't work.

Summer sun, Summer sun, we watch as you set,
Sending your long arms of light from the west.
Summer sun, Summer sun, you shine so bright,
As you begin your return to the night.

I love that verse
  because it captures a universal kind of devotion
    to our beloved Day Star,
      and at the same time,
        it recognizes that the beginning of Summer
          marks the apparent return of the Day Star
            to the night, not just for one evening,
              but also for the coming seasons
                of Fall and Winter.

The balance of light and darkness,
  the marking of the end of Summer
    with its beginning,
      and the recognition
        of light and shadow in ourselves
          can bring healing to our souls and bodies
            and to our nation.

If we try to deny the shadow by saying
  "I'm not a racist!"
      or, "The virus is going away on its own,"
        we will only delay the healing we all need
          so very much.

If we accept our days and nights
  our seasons of light and dark
    and our own strengths and weaknesses,
      we can learn the lessons of the Solstices
        and begin a process of healing for us all.

As the days pause
  in their growing longer and shorter,
    we have this moment to take stock of ourselves,
      our communities
        - families, friends, and like minded people -
          so that we begin to appreciate
            who and where we are,
              more and more,
                every day and every Season.

Amen.
So let it be.
Blessed be.