A sermon delivered by The Rev. Kathy Schmitz on September 23, 2007
At Pathways Church, A Unitarian Universalist Community in Southlake, Texas
Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
Paul Boese (1668-1738), Dutch Physician, Botanist
Story before the sermon: What if Nobody Forgave? The Story of Grudgeville by Barbara Marshman from What if Nobody Forgave and Other Stories of Principle, Collected and edited by Colleen M. McDonald
Meditation: On Turning, #634, by Rabbi Jack Riemer, adapted, Singing the Living Tradition
A story from the Zen tradition…
A big, tough Samurai once went to see a little monk. “Monk,” he said, in a voice accustomed to instant obedience, “teach me about heaven and hell."
The monk looked up at this mighty warrior and replied with utter distain, "Teach you about heaven and hell? I couldn't teach you about anything. You're filthy. You stink. Your blade is rusty. You're a disgrace to the Samurai class! Get out of my sight! I can’t stand you"
The Samurai was furious. He shook, got all red in the face, was speechless with rage. He pulled out his sword and raised it high above him, preparing to slay the monk.
"That’s hell," the monk said softly.
The Samurai was overwhelmed. The compassion and surrender of this little man who had offered his life to give this teaching to show him hell! He slowly put down his sword, filled with gratitude, and suddenly peaceful.
"And that’s heaven," the monk said softly.
(A story from the Zen tradition as told in Soul Food, edited by Jack Kornfield and Christina Feldman, page 273)
Let’s talk about salvation! Let’s talk about heaven and hell!
Salvation has been defined this way:
“In religion, salvation refers to being saved from an undesirable state or condition. In Western religions, this state is typically one in which an individual faces the prospect of eternal torment in hell. In Eastern religions, this state is typically one in which an individual faces earthly suffering during endless cycles of death and reincarnation.” (Wikipedia, accessed 9-23-06)
Because Unitarian Universalists have a variety of views on what happens when people die, we do not tend to focus on salvation at death. Rather, we wonder together how to help create heaven on earth. Like the Samurai, we learn that the condition of our heart, and our attitude toward others, creates for us heaven or hell, right here in this world.
While we are talking about salvation, it is appropriate to note that the subject of salvation was a pretty big issue in the history of Unitarian Universalism. Before they merged in 1961, Unitarianism and Universalism were two different religious traditions. While there were areas of overlap, they had distinct histories and grew out of different controversies within the protestant wing of Christianity.
Of interest for the moment are our Universalist roots. The name Universalist comes from a disagreement about salvation. In the early days of colonization in North America, there was a strong Calvinist movement. Those within it held to the doctrine of election. This meant that some people were elect, that is, chosen by God, for salvation. But not most people. Most people were condemned to eternal damnation. And there was nothing you could do about it. Not a very cheery prospect.
The early Universalists took issue with this doctrine. What kind of God, they argued, would create people just to condemn them? They argued for a different vision of God. Universalist ministers preached of a loving God. This God would offer salvation to everyone. This God would offer universal salvation. Thus, they became known as Universalists.
Universalism was a very radical concept in those days. It definitely went against the grain of the dominant theology of the day. But, radical or not, it was a popular concept and it caught on widely. We should be clear, though, that Universalists were not all of the same mind about how universal salvation was achieved. Some believed that after death, there would be a period of time, before salvation was achieved, in which one worked off sins to come into right relationship with God. Others believed that salvation was achieved instantly, at death, for all. This last group was known as the Ultra Universalists.
Some early Universalist churches had the words, “God is love,” inscribed on the pulpit. Now and then you will come across a pulpit that still bears those words. It was a bold and radical message. But over time, more and more people picked up the message. More and more, it was incorporated into mainstream traditions. Over time, the message became less radical, less unique.
As the spiritual descendants of the early Universalists, we no longer debate whether salvation is achieved at the instant of death or is somewhat delayed.
But there is a thread of the controversy still with us. We still wonder about, and disagree about, what it takes to be saved. It is just that “saved” looks a little different.
Here is how it goes.
The first Unitarian Universalist Association principle says that we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people.
Some of us believe that this challenges us to find the good in everyone – by which I mean all people – every last one of them. This can be a pretty tall order.
Others of us believe that the first UUA principle challenges us to remember that all people are born with worth and dignity, but believe that a person can sacrifice that along the way. Everyone starts with it, but some people lose it.
Note here the difference from some other religious traditions. Unitarian Universalists tend to think that humans do not start out fallen or flawed. Rather, they start out with worth and dignity. It is a very positive view of the potential of humans. The potential. Everyone starts out with the possibility of helping to create heaven on earth.
Everyone starts out that way… but then… something happens along the way.
And what is it that happens along the way? People make mistakes. They are clumsy, or unskilled, or ignorant of the truth. They do things in ways that cause suffering.
All of us do. We are not perfect. And people will suffer because of this. We will. People we love will. People we will never meet do. They suffer. Because we are not perfect.
This is why we need forgiveness.
It’s why we need to say, “I’m sorry.” It is why we need to say, “I forgive you.”
Because we are not, any of us, perfect.
So what happens to our worth and dignity along the way?
How imperfect do I have to be before you will decide that I no longer have worth and dignity?
What do I have to do to be beyond your forgiveness?
Just how clumsy, or unskilled, or ignorant, do I have to be before you will decide that I am beyond repair? That I no longer qualify as one who might help to create heaven on earth?
Do you know? Do you know what standard it is to which you hold other people?
It is possible to hold people to too high a standard.
Then we become like the Calvinist God, decreeing that only a few will get into the gate of heaven.
Do you find it hard to see the good in people?
It is perhaps also possible to hold people to too low a standard.
To be like the Ultra Universalists, who argued for instant salvation.
Are you so convinced of the worth and dignity of all people that you fail to recognize, and hold accountable, people who are behaving in a thoroughly undignified manner?
Most people fall somewhere on the spectrum between totally good and totally bad.
Most of us are a mixed bag.
What does someone have to do to fall outside the scope of your care and concern?
In the story I shared (What if Nobody Forgave by Barbara Marshman), the wise stranger visited the citizens of Grudgeville. When he learned that they each carried a big bundle of grudges on their back, and that they were tired of carrying them, he offered them the gift of 5 magic words.
"My friends, these are simple words, yet some people find them hard to say," said the wise stranger. "I think you have the courage to speak them. The trick is that you must say them to each other and truly mean them. The first two words are 'I'm sorry.’ Can you say them? The other three are 'I forgive you.' Can you say that? Now say these words to each other."
The trick is that you must say them to each other and truly mean them.
You must, he tells them, be in relationship with other people.
These are simple words, yet some people find them hard to say.
I found myself wondering, do some people have more trouble saying I’m sorry?
And do other people have more trouble saying, I forgive you?
Do you have more trouble with one or the other?
I know which one is more of a challenge for me.
I have a theory that people who hold people to very high standards have trouble saying I forgive you.
Conversely, I would think that people who have lower expectations of people might be more likely to be challenged by I’m sorry.
This is just a theory. I’m trying to think of a good way to test it. I’d be interested to know what you think.
In the meantime, let me give you some questions to ponder for a minute.
Pick the one that resonates most with you.
Are you too hard on other people?
Could you be quicker to forgive?
Are you too easy on people?
Might you perhaps be a little less quick to forgive sometimes?
Is there someone to whom you need to say I’m sorry?
Is it, by any chance, yourself whom you need to forgive?
Let me ask those questions again and then I’m going to give you a moment to reflect in silence.
(repeat) and (pause)
Once we can live with the fact that people are not perfect, we can begin to see that most people are good enough. And we learn to negotiate the issues that arise from our clumsiness, our lack of skill, our ignorance.
What an important skill. To negotiate our imperfections.
Without it, it is very difficult to be in right relationship with other people.
Without it, we are needlessly cut off from people – the very people we need to make our lives rich and meaningful – the very people with whom we might cooperate to create heaven on earth.
What an important skill. To negotiate our imperfections.
Without it, in the words of the Rev. Robert Eller-Isaacs, we …
… lose sight of our unity.
And so we must, he says,
… forgive ourselves and each other and begin again in love.
For … so many acts both evident and subtle which have fueled the illusion of our separateness.
We (must) forgive ourselves and each other and begin again in love.
(A Litany of Atonement by Robert Eller-Isaacs, #637 in Singing the Living Tradition)
When the burdens we carry weigh us down so far that we can no longer look one another in the eye, we lose sight of our connectedness.
This damages us, often far more than the original act that fueled our grudge.
This is what creates hell.
Because Unitarian Universalists have a variety of views on what happens when people die, we do not tend to focus on salvation at death. Rather, we wonder together how to help create heaven on earth. Like the Samurai with whom we began, we learn that the condition of our heart, and our attitude toward others, creates for us heaven or hell, right here in this world.
We are imperfect. We are clumsy, unskilled, and ignorant.
And people will suffer because of this. We will. People we love will. People we will never meet do. They suffer. Because we are not perfect.
We can accept this as the way of the world. We can.
Or we can choose another path.
We can choose a path with more light and more love.
We can choose a path that includes words like “I’m sorry,” that includes words like “I forgive you.”
We can choose a path that takes us toward the creation of heaven – right here in this world.
We can choose our path.
Though, as our prayer this morning said, we know that
… for us turning does not come so easily.
That
… It takes an act of will … For us to make a turn.
Still we can…
… Turn … around, Revive our lives, as at the beginning.
Still we can….
… turn… towards each other, For in
isolation there is no life.
There is so much to gain if we can turn toward each other, if we can end our isolation.
There is too much in this world that would separate us.
We need to reach out, …to stretch out, sometimes, …to each other.
This week I invite your turning.
Reach out.
… turn… turn… towards each other,
For in isolation there is no life.
Stretch out.
Turn and Stretch
and let there be life.
Let there be heaven here on earth!
Guidelines for use: Here are Rev. Kathy's wishes for the material offered here. The main purpose for making these sermons available is for the use of members and friends of Pathways Church and for those interested in Pathways Church. In this capacity, it is expected that they will be read in place by interested individuals. Should they come to the attention of others, with attribution they may be quoted freely, without permission. With attribution they may be used in whole in the context of worship or religious education without advance permission though Rev. Kathy would be interested to know how they are used and by who. She asks that the text not be used in whole in print press or on another web site without advance permission. Thanks!