August 30, 2015

This is our Meeting for Worship.  But what does worship mean?
Surely, worship is acknowledging, celebrating, praising and giving thanks to the Holy Spirit, but I think it is much more than that.  For those of us who believe there is that of God in every person, worship is also a time for celebrating, praising and giving thanks for that of God in each other.  Nor is worship in its fullest sense a one-way endeavor any more than we parents would want our children only to celebrate, praise and thank us – remaining dependent on us and neglecting their potential.  
Worship is finding, honoring and listening to that of God within ourselves – and within each other – and growing in love, courage and our capacities for service.

Thanking Life for this moment

I talked recently with a dear friend who is an atheist. She believes in grace, unexplained healing, the mystery of inspiration and creativity, the importance of gratitude, and the power of forgiveness and love.  And I don’t believe in a conscious, separate, Supreme Being who listens and responds to each human prayer, dispenses or withholds grace, cares about our gratitude, and rewards our forgiveness of others.  So my friend and I can share this enduring refrain: “Life, I thank you for this moment.”

Living up to others

So many friends, so little time.  I miss so many family members and friends – you, and you, and you - but duties, including self care, greatly limit opportunities to visit, or even to write or call.

Fortunately, relationships can be nurtured from afar, by the spirit; by cultivating gratitude for your contributions to society and each day doing my best to live up to you, to represent my friends and family well to the world.  With love as the foundation, I think that is how, when friends and family members get together after long times apart, gratitude for the relationship is abundant, pride in each other is great, and the bond remains strong.