SHOULD YOU HAVE A PERVADING ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE? Unitarian Universalist Church of St Petersburg April 17, 2016 Rev. Jack Donovan READINGS (see below) “From the Taoist”, Tao Te Ching ​
chapter 2 and UUA Covenant Source #1 “From the Rabbi”, Gospel of Luke ​
chapter 6 and UUA Covenant Source #6 “From the Scientist”, The Sacred Depths of Nature​
by Ursula Goodenough and UUA Covenant Affirmation #7 SERMON So here we are – at UU St Pete, a day for blessing of the animals ­ and they need it. Today is Earth Day Sunday, with challenges all around the globe in the air, the water, the land, the energy – in all the elements of life, and in life itself, animal and vegetable, Some say it’s a population problem; some say it’s a consumption problem; some say it’s an inequality problem – but it’s a problem. Is there a common attitude that would solve the problem? Speaking of overpopulation and attitude adjustment, you know the story of the kids trying to find a home for some newborn kittens. They knocked on the Unitarian minister’s door and said, “Pastor, would you like to adopt these six kittens?” “Well, what kind of kittens are they?” asked the pastor, trying to peak in the box. “These are Catholic kittens, Pastor,” they say, lifting off the cover. “But, look, they’re too young to be adopted,” said the pastor. “Their eyes aren’t even open yet.” So the kids left, but about two months later they come back. “Adopt some kittens, Pastor?” they say. “Well, what kind of kittens do you have this time?” says the pastor. “Unitarian kittens,” they answer, lifting off the cover. “But these are the same kittens,” says the pastor. “I thought you said they were 1 Catholic kittens.” “Yes, Pastor – but now their eyes are opened.” … “I’ll take all six,” says the pastor. Ever feel that way? Eyes opened, like a kitten, ready to explore mysterious hideaways, play with balls of string or string theory, curl up on a meditation pillow, have your back rubbed, gobble a piece of fish? Or ready to adopt a kitten, or puppy, or dolphin, saying, “Yes, we will be friends”? How do we get that kitten­like focus – a pervading sense of focus, of fun, of finding? Is there one feeling toward life, toward Earth, toward the world, that you would like to be able to always carry in your heart, every moment no matter – an attitude that would magically restore you fully to your best self? The other day, Alisun and I were out for our morning walk around Crescent Lake. Lots of people with their dogs there. Squirrels, of course. And a gazillion birds all around – pigeons, crows, green parrots, geese, storks, ibis, seagulls, herons, cranes, hawks, anhingas, ducks. There were fish in the lake, too, we could tell, because some mornings we’d see a crane or heron or anhinga catch one and eat it. But I had never seen a turtle there. That seemed strange. We had seen lots of turtles on our walks along Coffee Pot Bayou. So I decided I’d call out to see if a turtle would answer. Don’t laugh. As some of you know, last year over by the bayou, after I hadn’t seen any dolphins for many months, I called for a dolphin to come – Eee! Eee! Eee! And a moment later, a big dolphin came looping up, just 50 feet from the shore. I “Eee, eee’d” some more to say Hi, and to our amazement, over the next two or three minutes, at least six dolphins appeared, dancing for us, right there, out of pure graciousness. So I figured, if it worked for dolphins, why not turtles? Maybe it just requires a friendly call, which would only require an attitude, 2 an invitation, a hospitality. So I called out, “Turtle, Turtle, here Turtle!” Well, nothing happened, so we continued on home. But guess what, the next morning, as we were completing our second loop around the lake, there was a turtle – a big snapping turtle, bigger than a hubcap – just crawled up on the shore to sun itself not far from our path. I stared at it, as if at a miracle – and it raised its head back at me, as if to say, “Remember, I’m a ​
snapping​
turtle – not one of your eee­eee­eee dancing dolphins.” Of course I was respectful of that and Alisun and I went on our way. But I was very pleased. I don’t know if Alisun thinks I’m a dolphin and turtle whisperer. But I’m beginning to wonder! My middle name is Francis, after all, like in Assisi, not the talking mule (no snickers). You just never know who’s on whose wavelength, right? Scientists and mystics seem to agree, we’re all connected with everything. So what’s your middle name? How about “Friend­of­the­Earth”? There’s the beginning of an attitude. Remember the missionary who was arguing with the village woman. He said, “Madame, you say the Earth sails through the universe on the back of a turtle. But everything has to have a beginning. And even if the Earth does sail the universe on the back of a turtle, underneath it all, in the beginning, it’s God!” “Sorry, Mr. Storyteller,” said the village woman. “But it’s turtles all the way down.” No matter what you think of the specifics or the species, we know that life supports life and every life not only gets to live, but is a channel for more and even better life. No matter the challenges, life is too wonderful not to make better and pass on. We are the turtles the Earth sails on. We are the dolphins that sail and dance with eyes open. The energy of the universe is 3 wave and particle – it builds to and shapes all things, then flows on. It seems the Great Spirit is tiny and so always starts small, then adds and adds to this grand spiral, this grand dance, this grand symphony. Of course, I also gave my dolphin call at Crescent Lake several times. But it doesn’t look realistic at this point. I suppose we must accept that there are some limits to what this amazing energy of the universe can do – and dolphins in the fresh water of Crescent Lake seems to be one of those limits that one must accept. You can get in trouble if your attitude is that you can change the laws of nature. At the least, if you’re not realistic, you limit your possibilities and waste your potentials – and maybe do damage. You might remember the animated movie, “The Bee Movie” – came out just as the financial market system was collapsing in 2007? The cartoon comedy was about another system collape. A well­meaning honeybee named Jerry – who had a voice just like Jerry Seinfeld’s ­ was angry about bee­exploitation and he got all the bees to go on strike to demand a fair share of the profit from selling honey. Problem was, because the bees stopped gathering the nectar for the honey, none of the plants got pollinated, so they couldn’t bear a crop, and the world started to run out of food! Whoops! Change of attitude needed here. The bee strike crisis was worked out okay in the movie. But sadly, in real life, it is us who are pushing the bees off the job and into extinction, by using huge amounts of deadly pesticides on crops. How do we get an attitude change when we are doing damage? According to the National Resources Defense Council, bees 4 pollinate 70% of our food crops – and last year 42% of the nation’s honeybee colonies collapsed. For this it appears that we should say thank you to the influence of agrichemical giants Bayer, Monsanto, and Syngenta, and to the Environmental Protection Agency and ourselves, all responding with a … sloth­…like … attitude … to … the … environmental … crisis. Speaking of sloths and animated movies aimed at adults and kids, who has seen the animated movie ​
Zootopia?
​ Very wonderful. If you see it, you’ll love the sloth part. But the hero who’ll you’ll really love is Judy Hops – not a sloth, but a quick determined little bunny. Judy Hops is venturing out into the world – a different world than you and I know in some ways – where animals wear clothes and live in towns and cities and talk to each other, and are all vegetarian, no longer preying on each other. But there is still crime, and some animals are still cruel and hurtful to others. Judy starts the plot rolling when she says, “I want to become Zootopia’s first bunny police officer and help make the world a better place.” Her parents beg her not to go away into such dangerous work, and rather stay and help them on their farm. They point out they are already making the world better, one carrot at a time. Judy and her parents have great attitudes. They love life and one another and they are grateful for what they have and want to help others, one good way or another. But what Judy is about to discover is that you need a lot of help to make the world a better place. You need a lot of people who come to gratefully say to each other, “I owe you one” – and we always need that. 5 But Judy will also learn that her gracious attitude toward the world is contagious – she is changing the world for the better one friend at a time, one admirer at a time, one teammate at a time, until there are a lot of helpers. Judy restores integrity, appreciation, and a sense of caring for one another to the troubled city. She doesn’t give in to those who try to obstruct her dream, but she also doesn’t treat any of them as enemies. She tries to help each person as they come, good or bad. Judy is like the Tao – the power of life with its gracious way ­ whose rain droppeth on the good and the bad alike, whose sun shineth on both friend and foe alike, and who adorns the easy lilies more gloriously than any royal clothier could. How do you get and keep the attitude you most want? When I learn how to get dolphins to come to Mirror Lake, I’ll let you know. But in the meanwhile, spiritual practices seem to have the best track record, especially starting in a family and community setting – praying to clarify to yourself what you might truly want; meditating to make the attitude pervasive and to let go of what depletes it; sharing with friends or journals just what progress you’re making. Lots of ways to turn the power in you into a light for the world. You cells hold 14.8 billion years of successful problem solving, and now they have consciousness and intention. So back in Zootopia, with her compassionate way, Judy transforms Nick Wilde the wheeler­dealer fox to a happy, grateful, helpful citizen. In turn, Nick teaches Judy what she needs to know about the real why of waywardness and about dealing with life on the mean streets where everybody really does have a sad tale to tell. 6 Together Judy’s and Nick’s attitude of graciousness, appreciation, hope, helpfulness, humanitarianism (if I may) will pretty soon turn Zootopia into Eutopia. None of the animals are pets or pests. They are friends. Their eyes are opened and they are on the gracious way ­­ a pretty excellent pervading attitude toward life, I’d say. I hope, after you get a little refreshment after the service, that you’ll come back in the Sanctuary and share your ideas on a pervading attitude toward life. READINGS OPENING WORDS ​
(responsive) From the​
Tao Te Ching (​
chapter 2) and the UUA Covenant Source #1 The Taoist says, “Within the unfathomable essence that is the Tao is the vital principle of truth informing all creation. Within the Tao is all that lives. The greatest wisdom is to follow the Tao.” And we say, Yes, let us draw upon direct experience of transcending mystery and wonder which moves us to renewal of the spirit and openness to the forces that create and uphold life. WORDS FOR MEDITATION ​
(responsive) From the ​
Gospel of Luke​
(chapter 6) and UUA Covenant Source #6 The Rabbi says, “Do not be anxious about your life or what you will wear or eat. For look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor store in barns, and yet by their heavenly Source they are fed. And the flowers – they neither toil nor spin, and yet they grow and are clothed more gloriously than Solomon.” And we say, Yes, draw upon the spiritual teachings of Earth­centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. READING ​
(responsive) Ursula Goodenough’s ​
The Sacred Depths of Nature​
​
& UUA Covenant Affirmation #7 7 The Scientist says, “The evolution of the cosmos invokes in me a sense of mystery; the increase in biodiverity invokes the response of humility; and an under­standing of the evolution of death offers me helpful ways to think about my own death. If we can revere how things are and can find a way to express gratitude for our existence, then we should be able to figure out how to share the Earth with one another and with other creatures, how to restore and preserve its elegance and grace, and how to commit ourselves to love and joy and laughter and hope.” And we say, Yes, we will live with respect for the inter­dependent web of all existence of which we are a part. CLOSING WORDS Circle of Praise – ​
Drawn from Psalm 148​
For all dogs and cats, large and small, We give thanks! For all rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pigs, We give thanks! For all goldfish, guppies, and swimming creatures, We give thanks! For all robins, wrens, and singing birds, We give thanks! For all racoons, squirrels, and deer, We give thanks! For all horses, cows, and sheep, We give thanks! For all lizards, snakes and creeping things, We give thanks! For all the fun, friendship, and wonder we receive from animals, We give thanks! For every animal in the sky, waters, forest, field, and city, and for all the beauty of the Earth that sustains them, and for each of us, We give thanks! 8