The ancients believed that you can mend the cosmos by what you love and what you feel. Sparks of holiness intermingle with everything in the world, they preached, even still objects of beauty. By blessing the things you love – the sparkling tulips above – you soul drinks from the deep well of spirituality, it mends the world around you.

They believe the holy sparks sprung from the mouth of God, like the soul herself, breathed into us by God. I blessed these tulips this morning as they took up residence in my study window.

“Blessed are you, sparks of holiness, children of the sovereign, who brings forth bread and color and light from the earth.” If all of us did this every day at the same time, the angry and cruel people of the world would melt and wash away, their harsh voices would fade.