A Thousand Names for Love

Beloveds…
How many names does Love have?

As many as the stars.
As many as the stars.

And how many faces does Love wear?

Every soul that Love has touched.
Every soul that Love has touched.

When Love is gentle—
We call it kindness.
When Love sees sorrow—
We call it mercy.
When Love makes room—
We call it welcome.
When Love stays near—
We call it friendship.

When Love remembers—
We give thanks.
When Love gives freely—
We call it grace.
When Love sees beauty
in the one we overlook—
Love says, “Come closer.
Let me see your face.”

When I had nothing,
you pulled up a chair.
Before I could ask you,
Love was already there.

A thousand names for Love!
A thousand ways to shine!
A thousand rivers flowing
through your heart and mine!

Call it mercy! Mercy!
Call it peace! Peace!
Call it freedom! Freedom!
Let the captive heart go free!

A thousand names,
a thousand names,
and every name is Love!

Oh, Lo-o-ove…
Every name is Love.

When Love stands trembling—
We call it courage.
When Love speaks truth—
We call it justice.
When Love tends wounds—
We call it healing.
When Love waits with us—
We call it patience.

When Love lets go—
We call it trust.
When Love begins
where hope has ended—
We rise up from the dust.

When I could not stand,
you knelt beside me.
When I lost my song,
you sang it back to me.

You sang it back to me.

A thousand names for Love!
A thousand ways to shine!
A thousand rivers flowing
through your heart and mine!

Call it mercy! Mercy!
Call it peace! Peace!
Call it freedom! Freedom!
Let the captive heart go free!

A thousand names,
a thousand names,
and every name is Love!

What is Love when the hungry come?
Bread on the table! Enough for everyone!

What is Love when the weary fall?
Hands that lift them! A place for us all!

What is Love when the powerful lie?
Truth standing tall! We will not pass by!

What is Love when the stranger appears?
A door that opens! You are welcome here!

What is Love when the earth cries out?
Hands in the soil! Let new life sprout!

And when a child asks,
“Is there room for me?”

There is room for you.

Is there room for me?

There is room for you!
There is room for you!

When Love protects
the smallest creature—
We call it caring.
When Love brings voices
from a hundred different homes—
We call it belonging.

When the hands that held us
are no longer ours to hold—
Love lives on.
In the bread we share,
in the stories we have told—
Love lives on.

In the good we pass along…
Love lives on.

There is a Love before the name,
before the spark, before the flame.
Before the stars had learned to shine,
before your hand reached out for mine.

And every name that we have known
is just a window to the unknown.
No word can hold it, no wall contain,
no one can own it, no one can claim.

But when I could not love myself…
you stayed.

That was Love.
That was Love.

You sta-a-ayed…
That was Love.

A thousand names for Love!
A thousand ways to shine!
A thousand rivers flowing
through your heart and mine!

Call it kindness! Kindness!
Call it grace! Grace!
Call it justice—
Let it rise in every place!

Call it shelter! Shelter!
Call it truth! Truth!
Call it ancient!
Call it new!

A thousand names,
a thousand names,
and every name is Love!

Love made room for me.
Love made room for you.
Now these hands are open—
let Love come through.

Through these hands…
Through this heart…
When I was broken,
you held every part.

Let the Love that carried me
carry somebody through!

Let Love come through.
Let Love come through.

Beloveds…
Have we named them all?

No… no…

Then what shall we call
the Love we have not named?

The Love still becoming.
The Love still becoming.

A thousand names for Love,
and a thousand more to come.
One world, one life,
and room for everyone.

Every name… is Lo-o-ove.

Every name is Love.