Rev. Ann C. Fox
(508) 992-7081
minister@uufairhaven.org
Unitarian
Universalist
Society of Fairhaven
Faith and Strength
for Anxious Times
a sermon by Rev. Ann C. Fox
October 19, 2008
Note: A short reading is attached, which you might like to read first
Theologians and sociologists call the time when human beings exhibit anxiety and alienation a time of “anomie” [Emile Durkheim, French Sociologist], which is when things are no longer “normal” or they are different from what was expected. This is our time of anomie; today, the world’s economies are so intertwined that the only consolation to our anxiety is that it is shared; it is global. Wall Street and Main Street have global counterparts in many nations. But we trump the rest of the western world in issues of war and peace, cost of health care, increased food prices, diminishing fisheries, reduced job opportunities, a hopefully able next president, and expanding waistlines!
Fundamentalist religions warn that the world is coming to an end because of our profligate ways. It certainly does seem that the fabric of our modern life is falling apart, doesn’t it? Or, is it that the “fabric” is simply being rewoven?
Perhaps you have heard that according to the ancient Mayan calendar, a new period of earth history will begin in 2012. This is a time when human development will take a step forward in evolution, or “consciousness,” if you like. In order for this to occur, a great reassessment must take place on the part of most of the population of the world. One spiritual teacher says, “The Mayans were an exceptionally ‘tuned in’ people regarding cycles of time. They understood that there are ‘cycles within cycles’ and that each [cycle] is tied to highly structured evolutionary processes.” (Jose Stevens) The year 2012 is a turning point of one of these cycles and the next four years are the working out of how to create the new way of being.
The somewhat more enlightened amongst us have been battling the consumerism of modern life for many years. We have been trying to be more conscious of the degradation of the environment. The Green Movement began in our denomination 20 years ago with the establishment of the 7th Principle Project. This was founded by some enlightened Unitarian Universalists who waited for the rest of us and the denomination to catch up with them. And now we are trying to run with it, calling it now “The Green Sanctuary Project”; hence our efforts to become a Certified Green Sanctuary congregation. And I think I told you before that intensive recycling, water conservation, and supporting local farmers by buying their produce weekly was underway 20 years ago in California. In this way, pockets of awakening have been present for a long time.
The Mayan prediction of 2012 beginning the great shift in consciousness speaks of a time of gradual chaos and gradual breaking down of old structures and creation of new more appropriate, peaceful and more equitable structures by 2020. Outrageous greed has been one of those structures.
However, we do not need biblical fanatics or ancient calendars to tell us that the world is changing. We can see it for ourselves. It is “in our faces” so to speak. The question is, “How can we live our lives and hold on to what we value deep down while making adjustments to include needed changes?” We look to our Faith, of course! And we must ask ourselves, “And what is my faith? In what do I put my faith?” You have heard the old joke that "Christians have their cross, Jews the Star of David (or their Menorah), Muslims have the crescent, and Unitarians have the question mark!" Many if not most people would say that they put their faith in God, however “God” is defined by the individual.
UUs are a practical people of faith. One gentle and practical UU theologian, William Murray, tells us the story in his book a Faith for All Seasons about how the philosopher and writer Antoine St. Exupέry was flying a small plane from Southern France to North Africa when suddenly a great fog descended. Navigational instruments in those days were not as they are now so it was hard to detect landmarks in a heavy fog. He and his co-pilot did everything they knew how for hours, even hanging out of the plane to detect a familiar landmark. An occasional light raised their hopes but turned out to be only stars. They were hopelessly lost and afraid their fuel would run out. Suddenly, the airport at Casablanca broke in and told them they were getting close. The pilots said they were sure their fuel would not be enough, but the airport assured them that the reserve tanks in that particular plane were larger than normal.
They arrived safely sometime later and were told that all the little airports on the islands along their way were awake and awaiting news of them. St. Exupέry said that looking back on this episode taught him that the extra large reserve tank on that plane are like our own deep inner resources. William Murray said that what we can learn from this is that “our own inner resources are often greater than we realize….[We should believe that ‘our reserve tanks are bigger than standard.’ And] we have only to reach down more deeply to draw on resources within ourselves.” (Murray, pp. 12-13) So in anxious times, that is the first thing—to recognize our deep inner resources, the creative force of life or God, or our Faith. William Murray says, “Faith refers to a basic trust that life is good and worth living and that the context in which we live is gracious and trustworthy. To a person with this basic trust, life is a gift, a gift to be enjoyed and cherished and developed and used for the benefit of humankind. This basic trust cannot be demonstrated by reason; nor is it a doctrine. It is an attitude, a basic confidence in, or loyalty to life, and a deep resource in facing the crises of life.” (Murray, p. 15)
The other resource that St. Exupέry found was the community of airports all along his route. They were his community, ready and waiting for them at every hour of their journey. Like St. Exupέry, William Murray tells us that the second resource for Unitarian Universalists is caring community. You have heard the story about the man who was standing on the roof of his house because the flood was up to the bedroom windows. Over time, people in three boats offered to take him to safety but each time he refused saying “God will save me.” When he got to heaven, he asked God why he hadn’t been saved from the flood. God, responded with exasperation, “I sent three different people to save you!” Three different “communities,” eh!?
Recently, I was at our New England Fall Conference. We were asked to identify and share what we value the most in our congregational life. One value that almost everyone identified was “community.” Community strengthens our faith. Other common resources they chose was our “spirituality” or our inner resources. These two: our inner resources and community will sustain our belief in life being good, sacred, and worth living.
In the reading you heard how one UU experienced over and over the power of community. In these anxious times, let us plan on gathering together more often. One person wrote to me about reviving our Friday Flicks program. She said, “We can call it “Frugal Friday Flicks with Food.” How many of you would be interested participating in this? (Dear Reader, Many hands were raised.) Okay, we’re going to do it. And perhaps we can swap recipes for inexpensive but nutritious food. If we’re a big enough crowd, perhaps someone will lend us a projector now that we have a big screen in the Parish House. We can have a children’s room as well. We used to do it once a month. Watch our newsletter for the Frugal Friday Flicks with Food date. And please write to me with suggestions for appropriate movies. Wouldn’t it be great to watch “Mama Mia” together!!!? If you have more ideas for movies, please let me know.
In these challenging times, I hope we will come to church faithfully, often, so that we can feel the power of community in our corporate worship. It is good to have a sense of community, but we must also be a help to one another when our light goes out. If you are in need of help, we need to know. Please, please do not hesitate to let me or Lisa Elliott know of your situation. We cannot help if we don’t know. May we all find strength in our Faith—our deep resources within and our caring community.
Reference
Murry, William R. A Faith for All Seasons: Liberal Religion and the Crises of Life, Bethesda, Maryland: River Road Press, 1990
Reading: “The Blessings of Community” by Douglas Taylor
From All That Is Our Life, Helen & Eugene Pickett, Editors
Alone in the world, I was beset with frustration and anger at the world around me—so much injustice and hatred, so little peace and freedom. I longed to make a difference, I struggled against powers and institutions. But my actions seemed insignificant and my words were drowned out.
Then I came into community, a religious community of hope and love. Here I found support and energy, vision and power, the authority of shared witness.
And together we changed the world.
Alone in the world, I was beset by sorrow and hurt in my life—so much loss and emptiness, so little hope and understanding. I wept for the pain in my heart. I ached from the hardships I bore. But my tears brought little relief and my burdens grew too heavy.
Then I came into community, a religious community of hope and love. Here I found support and compassion, wisdom and grace, and the power of shared suffering.
And together we made life sweeter.
Alone in the world, I was beset by confusion and emptiness in my soul—so much busyness and pettiness, so little depth or connection. I shriveled inside from want of real spiritual bonds and my soul cried out for meaning.
Then I came into community, a religious community of hope and love. Here I found support and encouragement, depth and diversity, and the power of sharing the journey.
And together we saved my life.
For all the varied reasons that have brought us out of loneliness and into community, we give thanks. For the blessings we each bestow on one another with our energy, compassion, and prayer, we give thanks. For the blessings we become to others in need, we give thanks and remember that we are not alone.
© The Rev. Ann C. Fox