As I sit at the parish house writing for the clergy corner, I am reminded of a wedding sermon that I preached at my niece’s wedding.

It had to do with Legos. Legos, that wonderful childhood toy that has certainly morphed into something much more complex than the simple pieces I used to play with as a child, but I do think they have something to teach us in our world today.

1. Legos use the ordinary to make something extraordinary. While individual Lego pieces are simple shapes, with a little imagination and creativity, they have amazing potential and possibilities. The potential to build something extraordinary is limited only if one stops dreaming. Just as God has all through history used ordinary people to do extraordinary things. I think of Dorothy Day, a champion for the homeless who resisted being called a saint because she wanted people to see that anyone could be the hands and feet of Christ in this world.

2. Lego’s strength is its diversity. Legos come in all shapes and sizes. When these diverse pieces come together, they create some awesome pieces of art and architecture. It is their coming together that makes them more beautiful, not less. Diversity allows endless possibilities. Diversity is our strength as a community. When we open ourselves up to the gifts of others, we are strengthened, not diminished. God created diversity to help us grow as people in community.

3. Legos are designed to be connected. To build something strong, sturdy, and beautiful, you need to take some time and intentionally snap each piece with another piece. Standing alone, pieces can be broken or thrown away as insignificant, but together they can be created into a whole host of possibilities. We are all better together than apart. From the very beginning of creation, we were meant to be in relationship with one another and with God. And to build relationships, we need connecting tools of forgiveness, compassion, and kindness.

Connecting words like I love you; I am sorry, I care about you. And when times are good, when times are tough, we need prayer. We need prayer to connect with each other, to connect us to ourselves. We need prayer to connect us with God who promises to be with us always.