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Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven "Lent as a Sanctuary" Rev. Ann C. Fox Note: A reading follows the sermon. Please read it first. |
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Last week, I dedicated the sermon to our Fourth Principle: a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. This week I do the same thing. I remind us that Unitarian Universalism has no creed, or fixed belief. Our search for truth and meaning as religious liberals at this time in our history requires us to reframe the traditional meanings of such religious concepts as God, sin, and evil. And we addressed these and many other terms last week. Copies of that sermon are on the Information Table. I said then that I would speak of a modern Unitarian Universalist interpretation of salvation and atonement this Sunday. The first is easy: we say that we save ourselves by our good character-salvation by character has long been a mantra of at least Unitarians if not Universalists. Sometimes, however, the phrase salvation by character has become a glib saying to make us feel good about ourselves and so feel no compulsion to examine whether we approve of ourselves the way we are. In this same glib way we may deny that all is not right with how we feel about the self and the way we are living our lives. Often, we're far too busy to stop and take stock. Or perhaps we fill our lives with activity or entertainment so that we don't come into touch with what disturbs us, which can linger just below the surface of our seeming happiness. It can be a psychologically unhealthy way to live our lives and it can prevent our personal and spiritual growth. Late Show host Jay Leno sometimes makes fun of religious liberals when he says such things as, "Have you heard about the church that put a radio station antennae on top of its steeple? Now they say, 'Hello, God, are you there?'" Unitarian Universalists like to do good works. We're grateful that the Shepherd's Pantry operates in our church basement in cooperation with four other churches; it makes it easy for us to purchase food to contribute to the poor. Tonight at 7 PM, many of us, including me, will stand outside Fairhaven Town Hall with candles for peace as part of a worldwide wave. I am proud of these and many more things we do for social justice. However, today, let us ask ourselves about the good health of our interior lives? Jews have a holy week called Yom Kippur when they take time to go to the synagogue and pray and struggle to examine their lives with a view to making amends, coming to a better understanding, and improving themselves for the New Year. Muslims fast and pray during the month of Ramadan in the hopes of living a more pious life closer to God. Christians have the 40 days of Lent. The Christian tradition is the closest to our roots, so let us take a closer look at the purpose of the time of Lent that culminates in the Holy Week of Palm Sunday to Easter. Essentially, Lent is a season for reflection and taking stock of one's life to prepare for the hope of renewal or rebirth at Easter. For centuries, Christians were forbidden to eat meat during Lent; this is why there was a Carnival just before Lent. Carnival means farewell to meat in Latin. People had a big celebration, including much eating, before the solemn month. In modern times, Christians are asked to give up something they like as a way to remember Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. On Ash Wednesday, March 5th, a Standard Times reporter interviewed people to ask what they were planning to give up. Many people, mostly women, said they were going to give up cookies, cakes, and chocolates. Here are some other things that were said: · Moderation is the key to everything. . . . · People shouldn't have to wait for Lent to give up stuff that's probably bad for them anyhow. · I'm not going to give up anything because it never works. · I'm going to work on not being nasty. I was relieved to finally read that a women said that she wasn't going to give up anything but she wanted to try to be a better person all around. At least she was closest to what Lent is about. They are all trying to bring about outward change by doing outward things. It is doomed to failure. Real understanding and change occur from the inside. Without introspection, no understanding or change can occur. The reading this morning said, "Spiritual understanding never becomes deep unless you subject yourself to the spiritual discipline of practicing your belief." Coming at the end of winter as it does, Lent is a perfect time for us to have a practice of reflection. This can result in atonement, or at-one-ment with Grace, or God, that is in all the universe and which is our natural state when we are attuned to our own true nature. How can we do this? There are as many ways, but let us consider a few. This is a sanctuary, a place of safety where, if we open our hearts, we can escape from the pressures of life for at least one hour on a Sunday morning. It is a good beginning. A personal spiritual practice could create an instant sanctuary in this time of Lent. And it need be no more than ten minutes three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Thursday, Friday, Saturday. The important thing is to be intentional and to do it. An easy and common practice is contemplative prayer. This is where you look for a prayer with words that speak to your heart. There are many in our hymnbook. Most of us are word-oriented and so we would want words that evoke the holy. I recommend the words of Hymn 123, Spirit of Life, which are:
"Spirit of Life, come unto me.
For those of you who are already familiar with it, I wonder if hearing it now evoked "a stirring of the holy" within you or even just hearing the music at offering time. As with any prayer, we would sit relaxed with eyes closed to shut out sensory distractions, say the words silently or out loud, and just be in the place where the feeling of the words take us.
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
"Spiritual growth is honed and perfected only through practice. Like an instrument, it must be played. Like a path, it must be walked. Whether through prayer or meditation or worship or good works, you must move yourself in the direction of spiritual betterment. Spiritual understanding never becomes deep unless you subject yourself to the spiritual discipline of practicing your belief.
References
Monaghan, Patrica and Viereck, Eleanor G. Meditation, the Complete Guide, Novato, California: New World Library, 1999. |
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