Sermon Gem

Ti hei mauri ora.
Patai mai he aha te mea nui o te ao
Ka whakahoki au
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
Ti hei mauri ora.

(Translation)

The breath of life.
Ask me what is the most important thing in the world
And I will reply
It is people, it is people, it is people.
The breath of life.

Perfect.

“Let me tell you who I am that you may breathe my breath.
Let me tell you who I am that you may know we are brothers.”
The universe and I are not apart; we were born from the same source;
we were formed from the same stuff.

The stars that are the eyes of the night, the rain that washes the earth,
the leaf that harnesses the sun, the rainbow that joins the sky and earth,
the insect that burrows, the bird that flitters, the fish that darts,
we are all the same; unique faces of Io-the-all.

It matters not what form it takes it is my kin. Their lineage is my lineage.

Their wisdom is my wisdom. Their potential is my potential.

It is the potential of Io-who-knows-no-bounds;
seen by him in the eye of the Void,
fashioned and carved in the haven of the Great Nights,
and given life in the World of Light.

Never shall be lost the unique seed that was sewn
in the sacred altar of the sky.

For it is the seed of life from which all things grow and,
through which all things are connected.

It is the seed that holds the potential of the universe.

Turn and face me and embrace my being,
and know that you embrace yourself.

I sneeze!
I breathe!
I live!
This is who I am.

Slightly Less Perfect, but pretty darn good.