The Tree of Life
This Last Sunday, I started wearing the necklace and pendant in the picture above. It is something that I assembled myself. I am wearing it all this week in solidarity with the victims of the shooting, and all victims of the violence that hatred breeds. I told my congregants that I am wearing this necklace because the medallion that it holds is a Tree of Life medallion. The Tree of Life is found in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, where it is situated in the middle of the Garden. In the Christian Scriptures, it is also found at the end of the final book, the Book of Revelation. There, in the midst of the New Heaven and the New Earth that God brings about is the New Jerusalem, which is constructed not by political power and domination, but by Truth, Justice, Mercy, Grace, and Love. In the center of that New Jerusalem is a wondrous Tree, again the Tree of Life , whose leaves are for the healing of the peoples - all peoples. So at the beginning, the Tree of Life stands, and a