Meditating on the New Year

 

I’m facing the fact of the New Year a little late.  But it’s my sermon topic this Sunday and the wonderful thing about writing a sermon is that if forces me to sit and think. 

 

The New Year.  Starting fresh.  But we never start completely fresh.  There’s always something, perhaps many things from our past that we bring with us, indeed need to bring with us.  The question becomes: how much is too much? 

 

Some of us live in the past.  What was, what might have been.  Some of us live only in the present.  Life in the moment can become a whirling succession of events – and a sense of permanently feeling behind.  Some of us live only for the future.  Someday, things will change.  Meanwhile, we wait.

 

So what on earth has this got to do with Interfaith?  The more I explore it, the more I believe that Interfaith is about openness: radical openness.  All of our traditions teach that we should live lives of love.  But how can we love if we are not open to it?  And if we are to be open to love, must we not be open to others?  That can be uncomfortable.  It can be exceedingly uncomfortable.  “Others” can be different than we are, hold different opinions than we do.  For me, one of the tragedies of our current culture is that we have forgotten that we can disagree ... and still love.  Still be open.

 

Interfaith as a spiritual practice becomes openness not only to other faiths, but other ways of thinking, and other ways of being.  And, in a new year reflection, it can be openness to the past – to be anchored by the past, yet not anchored to it.  It can be openness to the present – to breathe in the present, and not be overwhelmed by it.  It can be openness to the future – to hope and to dream of what might be, yet aware that change rarely unfolds as we expect it will.   In effect, Interfaith becomes openness to life, all life, every life. 

 

This radical openness to past, present and future is something to strive for.  Strive for.  We’re all human.  We’re all going to “blow it” now and again.  I blew it just last week.  It’s humbling.  I know I remain very much a work in progress. 

 

The new year is a work in progress also.  It will be interesting to see what new vistas our efforts this year will unveil. 

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

 

There was an ad in today’s paper that caught my eye.  “ML King Jr. Sale.”  I suppose one might now reasonably launch into a condemnation of our insane commercialization of everything and everybody.  But I had to smile.  I look on the MLK Jr. sale as a step forward. 

 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a national holiday.  It truly became a national holiday in 1999, when holdouts New Hampshire and Arizona gave in and said ok.  So like Labor Day, and Memorial Day, and President’s Day (we used to celebrate both Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays, but that was just too many holidays in February!), we have a three day weekend in memory of Dr. King. 

 

Think of it.  The United States pauses to remember a person of color – and it’s so uncontroversial that stores happily have MLK Jr. Day sales.  Many younger folk won’t remember, but I remember vividly not only Dr. King, but how hard it was to get a nationally recognized day to commemorate the great gift he gave to America: black America and white America. 

 

It’s just one day.  I know that.  There is still systemic racism in the United States.  I know that too.  But you gotta love that at this point Martin Luther King Jr. Day is as American as apple pie.  You can even have a furniture sale in his honor!

 

I hope we will do more than just take a day off.  There’s a “Lest We Forget” celebration of Dr. King and his dream in Everett, Washington that I’ll be attending on Sunday.  There’s bound to be an event near you. 

 

For any who have never heard Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, or just haven’t heard it recently click here (an ad may pop up, just close it).  The speech is about 17 minutes long. 

 

Some of Dr. King’s dream has come true.  Much still remains to be fulfilled.  Justice for people of color.  Justice for the Native Americans our country all but exterminated in its push west.  Justice for men and women, of any race, creed, religion or economic status.  Dr. King, referring to the words of the prophet Amos in Scripture, called on us to “'Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."

 

“Let justice roll down like waters.”  As we contemplate the legacy and challenge of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that is our job.  May we be worthy.

A Right to Die? 

 

There is an article in a Seattle paper today, deeply critical of a former Washington governor.  The former governor has Parkinson’s disease and is championing an initiative to legalize physician-assisted suicide.  The columnist speaks of the former governor disparagingly: “Oh, my what a self-absorbed guy.”

 

I do not understand why it is necessary, whenever we feel passionately about something, to automatically assume that whoever disagrees with us is to be disdained.  In religion it generally ends up: “I’m right, and you’re going to hell.”  Or worse, “I’m right, and I’m sending you to hell.”  I wish that somewhere, somehow, we could actually begin talking, discussing our disagreements, rather than just attacking each other.

 

Like so many issues that so many of us think are so simple, the question of end-of-life assisted suicide is anything but simple.  I know.  I wish I didn’t know, but I do.

 

In 1982, my mother was in the final stages of a very painful cancer.  She decided that when the pain became more than she could bear, she would take her own life.  She asked me for my approval.  I was hugely torn.  I didn’t approve.  But I did believe in “honor thy father and thy mother.”  I spoke with a minister, who was and remains a friend and mentor.  All he could do was listen and tell me I had quite a conundrum on my hands.

 

In the end, I told my mother that I did not approve; but that as my mother I would support her in whatever decision she made.  When the pain became too much, she swallowed a cocktail of pills.  But physician assisted suicide wasn’t legal and my mother had to guess.  She guessed wrong.  She continued breathing another week. 

 

I loved her.  I still miss her.  But it was her decision.  I wish she hadn’t made it.  Even if she’d only lived another three months (the prognosis) I would have deeply valued that time with her.  But it was her decision. 

 

I have a friend today who is in the final stages of ALS.  She fights for every day.  With all the pain and difficulties she must endure, she finds a way to enjoy every day.  I’m glad she’s fighting.  I’m so very grateful for the chances to visit with her.  I’m glad her family can visit with her.  But this too is her decision. 

 

The columnist fulminated today on how “selfish” it is for a person who is dying to want the right to end the suffering.  But the columnist wasn’t suffering the intense and sometimes unrelenting pain that, especially these days, can be how we leave this earth.  And I wonder if the  columnist would be willing to at least consider the possibility, just the possibility, that it is he who is being selfish.  He wants the pleasure of someone’s company, regardless of how much suffering that person must endure.

 

It is not an easy question.  It is an horrific and painful question.  Painful for everyone.  It deserves better than tirades and belligerence.  Like so many crucial and important questions of life, death and spirit, it deserves better than tirades and belligerence.

Iowa and Interfaith??

 

Instead of writing my blog last night, I found myself caught up with what was happening in Iowa.  No need to panic.  I’m not going to recommend a political party here, let alone a candidate.  Still, a couple of things did bring a smile to my heart.

 

It was great to see so many people energized.  Evidently it was particularly (though not solely) among the Democrats, but it was wonderful to see so many people who had never been a part of the caucus turn out to vote – including so many young people.   For quite some time, our youth have seemed to feel no connection with “politics.”  Yet last night they were not only present and involved, but enthused.  I hope the trend continues.  We are not only a country of Atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists.  We are not only a country of rich, poor and those in the middle.  We are also a country of seniors, youth and those in the middle.

 

If we do not engage our youth, I believe we are lost … and they are lost.  It is as true in church as it is elections.  One of the reasons I find the work of Eboo Patel so important is that he not only speaks of interfaith cooperation to mend the world, but he also engages the youth of the world as he does it.

 

Meanwhile, back in New Hampshire, all the candidates seem to have suddenly discovered “change.”  Such a coincidence!  Perhaps soon they’ll discover civility and inclusion.  It could happen.  I’m not holding my breath, but as long as we’re talking about “change”…

 

So yes, I’ll be watching the debates on Saturday, and the returns on Tuesday.  And regardless of who comes out on top, I hope our youth will remain involved.