Opening to the Spirit
Today’s word: Reality
1) Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? / Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality / Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see. I have these lyrics from a “Queen” song, “Bohemian Rhapsody” in my head ever since I saw the fall musical at Alexander Galt High School. Reality is certainly an intriguing word these days. We hear the expression “fake news” almost ever day from our neighbour to the south. People rate something they see on Facebook as equally valid as a newspaper article written by a trained reporter. Even science is questioned, and many deny solid facts. Reality has become a matter of opinion. For some, even higher education is denigrated and universities are branded as elitist. These are strange times.
This week, Time magazine named a newspaper and four journalists, including Washington Post's murdered Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi, as Person of the Year. These heroes report the news and sometimes even put their lives at risk to tell the truth.
One experience I had at a young age taught me to identify with them and appreciate their work. I was chosen to be the editor of our school newspaper when I was in grade 9. I remember asking the principal if I had to check with her before sharing a story that might be critical of the school. She told me that as editor I had the freedom to write whatever I thought was the truth. I took her advice and had a great year. I celebrate independent journalists, and am really glad Time magazine honoured them.
As I graduated high school I put a quote in my yearbook beside my picture: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” I believe that as much now as I did then. Lets live in reality, and celebrate knowledge and science and real news.
) In a recent Sunday scripture reading Jesus of Nazareth, who is on trial, says “I am the way to the truth” to which his judge and accuser Pontius Pilate scoffs, “What is truth?” In these busy weeks preceding Christmas, it might be helpful to reflect on some words of the one whose birth we celebrate, when he counselled us to find the true meaning of life through service to others.
In today’s every day climate of fake news, telephone scams, questioning scientific facts about climate change and the outright lies of politicians, it becomes difficult indeed to distinguish truth from falsehood; reality from fiction. Have we like Pilate given up trying to figure it all out? Or are we willing to have our behaviours and our values challenged for the sake of the greater good?
Today I heard a wakeup call from the lips of a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl named Greta Thunberg. She was addressing the United Nations and she was not asking for anything. She was telling all the adults in the room that the youth of this world were not going to wait around watching the earth’s climate deteriorate to the point of no return whilst politicians, and short term economic interests dictate public policy to the detriment of human viability on this planet.
Although it was uncomfortable to hear, this young voice rang true. Will we sit contently in the warming pot of climate change, like sleepy frogs, until we are done? Or will we learn to self-sacrifice for the sake of future generations, voluntarily lower our standard of living, share more of what we have and consume less? This is the reality I see. What about you?
) “Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see.” I forget who gave me that advice. But I think there is some truth here, especially if the information you hear has passed through more than one person.
As a new pastor in a small town I received an email from a new parent I had not met, asking if I could baptize their baby. I replied with congratulations and let them know that, before we agreed on a date for the baptism, we'd need to meet for baptism preparation. I
23suggested a few times and asked them to let me know what might work, and said I looked forward to meeting them. Over the week following this exchange I heard many times, from many people, that the word in town was the new pastor was refusing to do baptisms.
The reality for this parent was: being asked to meet for preparation, and my refusal to choose a date for the baptism until we did, was a rejection. Previous pastors had just said yes to the date the family wanted and met them when they showed up on that Sunday. This is how it had happened for other family members, and they could not understand why they were being asked to do something so unreasonable.
The reality for me: I believed this was the “normal” way to get ready for a baptism and thought it was important to meet before the big day. The reality for me was that I also felt rejection, especially when they had their baby baptized at the church across the street.
We both had the same exchange of words, even in black and white right in front of us, but our realities were different. I try to remember things like this when I hear about some terrible thing that someone has done. How we see and interpret reality depends on our experiences, values, and expectations. Please be gentle and curious with each other whenever you can.
) Good wishes fly through the frosty air as we greet each other at every turn with
Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. Whichever words you choose, the larger reality is that at least 20 or so diverse world sacred and seasonal holidays occur in the weeks surrounding December 25th. All celebrate light and peace and goodwill, all come with expectations that the year ahead will be bright with the promise of the new.
In the midst of all our celebrating, a reality for many stands in stark contrast to the joyful season. Family history, difficult memories of holidays past, deaths of loved ones or changing circumstances in the past year, job loss or poor health and all manner of difficult realities may cut through the tinsel and jingle bells. I know this from the stories of blessed families I am privileged to serve and my own family's experience.
We long for peace and joy, yet each year finds us "careening toward Christmas" - wary of falling off the annual merry-go-round. A horrendous family break-up decades ago still lives in memory, and we instinctively approach this holiday with unconscious anxiety, feelings of failure, grief and loss. Each of us remembers it all so differently, depending upon age or birth order or stage of development. Yet each one's reality is real for them. At best we scale down expectations, reach out to others in need of support, invent new traditions when the old ones no longer work. At best, we remember to take exquisite care of ourselves and each other. And the gift we most need is patience from others when we least feel merry and bright.
What would a perfect Christmas look like. Whatever our personal reality this season, may we hold room in our hearts for those whose reality differs from our own - especially those lost, broken, or suffering, the ones seeking refuge and peace. So may we be the blessings of the season of which the carols sing!
4One word, four voices - now it's your turn to reflect: Reality; what is it for you and how does it compare with that of others?
Rev. Mead Baldwin pastors the Waterville & North Hatley pastoral charge; Rev. Lynn Dillabough is now Rector of St. Paul's in Brockville ON. She continues to write for this column as a dedicated colleague with the Eastern Townships clergy writing team; Rev. Lee Ann Hogle ministers to the Ayer’s Cliff, Magog & Georgeville United Churches; Rev. Carole Martignacco is Consulting Minister to UU Estrie-unitarian Universalists in North Hatley.