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Faith of the Free Twice in the past 7 days I have found myself in the middle of a slowly growing and then overwhelmingly large crowd. Both times I ended up being swept along by that crowd to a central area where joyful celebrations took place, with happiness and enthusiasm that reminded me of the pictures of victory celebrations following the end of World Wars I and II. But in both cases, these large, energetic and creative gatherings were about two events that will hardly be recognized in future history books. The first event will not be noticed at all in the future, because it was New Year’s Eve in downtown Austin. Jon and I purchased badges for First Night, so we could go to performances in the State and Paramount Theaters, watch the Chinese YoYo jugglers, street dancers, and see exhibits of art in various venues. All of these performances were of exceptional quality and the single price for the badges was less than tickets to the Whole Foods skating rink, which seemed by comparison more on the scale of a miniature pony ride. The sweeping along happened with the beginning of a parade down Congress Avenue at 5:30pm. Jon and I sat on the curb waiting for the procession, and for those of us who saw it, and I saw many of you there, it was quite a spectacle, more like a Mardi Gras parade with groups of ants, cockroaches, flamingos, bats, dragons, robots, and all sorts of indigenous music and song, jugglers and performers, a real treat for the whole family. As the last of the parade passed by, we fell in step and found ourselves marching down Congress Avenue toward City Hall for more festivities. Midnight drew near, and the sound of drumming echoed through the streets and bridges of downtown Austin. We all shouted the seconds down to midnight, then fireworks erupted from a barge in the middle of Town Lake and were reflected in the glass windows downtown. There was dancing and singing and even artificial snow in the middle of a mild winter night. The second event was also one that will get little notice outside U.S. borders. It was the Rose Bowl game. Again, the evening started out low key. I decided to watch the game at home after facilitating my Young Adult group. Jon always considers himself bad luck for TV sports, so as the fortunes of our local team turned bad, he retreated to the kitchen to make pasta until the last 5 minutes. Convinced the game was lost, he was willing to join me on the sofa. But the tide turned and in spite of Jon, the Longhorns won the National Championship! (Is there anyone here who didn’t know that?!) After the game we headed to the Drag to join the campus celebration. Gradually we were hemmed in by hundreds of cars honking and with people yelling, so we parked and walked down the middle of Guadalupe. Again we were caught up in a growing, fast moving, and very celebratory crowd. I was glad to notice the good nature of the celebration. My sister in Columbus, Ohio says that when Ohio State University wins a game, there is often a riot of destruction as cars are overturned and dumpsters set on fire. But here, there were only yells and laughter and vigorous chants. It was good to see parents with their children and dogs … and people having their pictures taken with police officers. Why bring this up in a sermon? It is because two small events—the change of one year and the winning of a football game 1200 miles away—created such an upsurge in energy and positive optimism. It was pure fun! How can we harness this in everyday life? How can we help ourselves and our children to harness this energy for good? William James said that Americans with their energy and optimism needed a “moral equivalent of war.” We are seeing what a devastating thing it is for us to squander our resources and lives on war, so what could be the moral equivalent of invading another country? A football match between Iraq and the US? A Poetry slam? A tug of war across the Euphrates River? As UU’s we are called constantly to seek answers to life’s persistent problems. What can we do about War? Poverty? Injustice? Can we become so righteous in our crusades that we lose the ability to laugh at ourselves? That is one thing these two celebrations had in common. People were laughing at themselves and with each other. They wore silly clothes, they told outrageous jokes. An older man, standing on a concrete wall overlooking the victory celebration kept shouting over and over, “This is all about me!” And in a larger sense, it is all about us … those of us who have entered the parade of life. And what a parade it is! We can count our blessings that our human parade is far less difficult than the one undertaken by Emperor penguins in their long march to and from breeding grounds. Hard pressed to live through the winter storms, penguins cope with life and death. Meanwhile, humans are trying to make sense of life and death. We live by faith in things unseen. Whether our faith is in one or more deities, humanity or the laws of nature, we use this larger perspective to lift us out of our selves toward contributing to a better world. This could be in the workplace, in raising children, or as a volunteer. It could wait until retirement. The times most meaningful to me have been when I have been of value to someone else. In his book A Faith for All Seasons: Liberal Religion and the Crises of Life, William R. Murry writes that liberal religion, just like any other religion has to help people find meaning and purpose in life. To know that life is sacred and worth living requires that we develop resources for getting us through and beyond life’s struggles, beyond our worst mistakes, and beyond multiple tragedies. We need the support of a caring community when we face difficult times. And we need parades and celebrations! Murry points out that religion helps us get through difficulties in our lives: the crisis of meaning and purpose, the crisis of pain and suffering, the crisis of loss and grief, and the crisis of death. When these experiences happen, our faith is shaken even as it shapes our response to these events. As Unitarian Universalists, we bracket our beliefs between fierce independence and complete interdependence. We lift up the inherent worth and dignity of every person. At the same time, we affirm respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are merely one small part. As independent beings we are responsible for our actions, improved by self-awareness, and nurtured by personal growth. Our genetic makeup, upbringing, options, and choices all contribute to each of us as unique individuals. Our actions as individuals contribute to the whole, and as a whole we all become more than the sum of our thoughts, words, and deeds. Our growth as individuals mimics evolution on a grander scale. First there was chemistry. Second, life emerged, then mind, consciousness, and self-consciousness. Our own Mateo and Magnolia are just a few months old and already they are developing a mind of their own within the protection of their parents. They will become aware of their impact on the world and ultimately their responsibility to it. Third, there is a moral and spiritual evolution. We learn along the way that our actions affect not only ourselves, but others as well. We have advanced in fields such as psychology and behavioral studies, intellectual knowledge, and creative artistry. We know we are directly and indirectly linked to global economics, education, politics, and the environment. The tragic death of 12 coal miners in West Virginia are linked not only to safety practices at the mine but also to our consumption of fuel. Even if we don’t personally burn coal, we don’t much care how gas and electricity are generated so long as we are reasonably comfortable. Hiring Mexican nationals to clean up toxic waste in New Orleans allows us to maintain our health while not paying for their health care. Pain and suffering, loss and grief remain a part of our lives. We have faith that life is good and worth living in spite of the worst that can happen. We celebrate human freedom even as we recognize that the more freedom we have, the more responsibility we add for good or evil choices. We have faith in the interconnection of creation. Survival for one species likely means suffering for another. Laws of physics prevail, such as gravity when a tree falls on a roof or when a hurricane or tsunami hits the coast. Natural disasters then are managed by flawed human beings. God does not interfere with the laws of physics, nor with human freedom to make good or bad choices. We have inherited an unfinished, imperfect world and we have an opportunity to share in its evolution no matter how it was created. When bad things happen, we have a choice in how to respond. Suffering can lead to bitterness, despair, or defeat. Suffering can also lead to deepening our own lives and strengthening our compassion. Archibald MacLeish wrestles with the question of justice in his play J.B., a modern adaptation of Job, which was performed here two years ago by our own Unicorn Players. J.B. kept his faith in God even as he lost his health, his home, and his family. At the end of the play, his wife Sarah came back and said, “You wanted justice and there was only love.” For me, the bottom line is love. Even in death there is love. For religious liberals death is ultimately a mystery. Next week we’ll hear from four Live Oak members about their views of the afterlife. We may believe with all our hearts, yet we must wait—just a little longer—to know what death will bring. Patti Tana wrote a wonderful poem entitled “Post Humus,” found in her book Make Your Way Across This Bridge (Whittier Publications, Island Park, NY).
Scatter my ashes in my garden Death is natural, not evil. What counts is the living—seeking, striving, risking, suffering, savoring, loving, enjoying, celebrating. Life and love are stronger than death and hate. Who we are and what we do live on after death and bring us a measure of immortality. We are born; we die; and we know this. It is in each life span, in each ordinary day that religion must have meaning if it is to have any meaning at all. Our beliefs do matter, but mainly to the extent that they influence our daily lives. Religion is not about formal observations, but about ethical principles and spiritual truths. True religion is a way of living. Bertrand Russell wrote An individual human existence should be like a river—small at first, narrowly contained within its banks—then rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. But gradually, as the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. What is the meaning of our life if not to reach out in compassion and take steps toward a better world? We can fall into despair or we can join together in a spirit of love. This is all about us! At the root of Live Oak and the root of our tradition, we have faith that we can create a meaningful world no matter how we suffer. We celebrate life. We build community. We share joy as well as sorrow, hope as well as fear. There is joy in plunging into the parade of life. Thanks for being part of my parade! Amen |
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Copyright
©2006, Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church.