Isaiah Wall December 6, 2004

Frida Berrigan

"Love one another," are the words inscribed on Phil Berrigan 's tombstone.

Love one another.

Sounds too fragile to dent the war machine; too simple to untangle the death knot of power and empire; too human to pierce the calluses that allow good people to live lives unsullied by conscience and responsibility.

Love one another, fragile, simple and human, like my Dad.

He tried so hard. Fought ego, fought fame, fought comfort, fought church, fought dogma, fought complacency - in himself and in others. Fought fatigue, fought faithlessness.

In fact, he wanted his tombstone to read: "I tried." And in a way it does, Uncle Dan just finessed it a little.

At one point, Dad wrote me - "As someone said - our only problem is one another. When we try (and try again) to love one another as God loves us, the problem is resolved."

Loving one another is fragile and simple and human. And it is not, it is hard and complicated and a task no human will ever fully accomplish.

The two years since Dad died have been hard. Countless times I have wondered - what would Dad think about that? What solution would Dad propose to this? Or more often, wouldn't Dad think this was hilarious? I miss him - we miss him - but this is not a day to mourn Phil Berrigan .

This is a day for asking -

How do we love one another?

And, what does that love command us to do?

It commands us to examine our complicity, privilege and comfort. It commands us to creativity, celebration and community. That is why we are here today.

Not to mourn, but to love.
Not to weep, but to love.
Not to despair, but to love.
Not to follow, but to love.