There is a Unity song that begins, “Open my eyes that I may see, glimpses of truth thou hast for me; Place in my hands the wonderful key, that shall unclasp and set me free…”
Sometimes our eyes are opened just by stopping and truly looking. We might be at the store or the park or at a public event. Or we might be watching the news, and suddenly, we really look. We notice the pain in someone’s eyes. Or we see a video from another perspective. We consider the reality of life for so many, and we face the suffering in the world.
Buddha gave us the first noble truth which says, “All life is suffering.” He also gave ways to transcend the suffering through the 8-fold Path, but first, our heart must be “broken open.” When it is, it will cry, and that is the beginning of genuine prayer, according to author Regina Sara Ryan in her book, Praying Dangerously. When we cry with sorrow at the suffering going on in the world, we come to know compassion. We also come to know our oneness. As we empathize with those who have lost loved ones because of Federal Forces in Minnesota or elsewhere, for example, we know it could have been us. “There but for the Grace of God go I.” When we really know that truth, we understand that their suffering is our suffering.
I had a “heart-broken-open” experience this past week, which I had taken off as a vacation week, though I intended to stay home. I watched the news more than usual, since so much was going on. I was awestruck by the protest on Friday in Minneapolis, amazed that so many showed up in the freezing weather. And then, I felt deep sorrow on Saturday with the second murder in several weeks. First, of Renee Nicole Good, and then, Alex Pretti. I usually do not have the time or luxury to be glued to the news most of the day and would usually prefer not to be. But in this case, I watched it unfold, from the early narratives told in Alex’s death, just as in Renee’s, up to the breakthrough videos which document what truly happened.
Our eyes can be opened anywhere when we face the outer reality of suffering and allow our hearts to “break” open…then, we can pray more deeply. We go beyond what might be usual affirmations to a powerful heartfelt connection. Then, we pray from that place of loving compassion. We may also serve from that place. For certainly, compassion and the search for justice fuel our commitment. We are seeing that commitment in our protestors on city streets and town halls across the country. Whatever party we belong to, peaceful protest is sanctioned in our constitution.
Love of Truth and freedom and community may also power a commitment. Co-founders of Unity, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, made a commitment to prayer and the teachings of Truth, and both remain the cornerstone of Unity to this day.
The Fillmore’s dedicated themselves to God; they set an intention, made a commitment, and activated their faith through affirmative prayer—expecting results. They very much believed in God and wanted to help others receive God’s blessings. They were committed souls.
Committed souls—That is what many of our protestors are, as well as those who are helping out the ones afraid to leave their homes, and those who are standing up for American values, for freedom.
There is something that you love that inspires your commitment to volunteer, to serve here at Unity. We appreciate each one of you. And those of you who keep showing up…you are committed souls.
And on Sunday, these four people—Chris, Kayla, Dawn, and Kevin—are making a deeper commitment to become members of Unity North. It is a commitment that means embracing community and growing spiritually. Their commitment will not only be a blessing for them, but also for us as a spiritual family.
The Unity song I mentioned above ends, “Silently now I wait for Thee, Spirit Divine.” We open our eyes, we truly see, we open our hearts to truth, to service, to helping others, and we commit and pray deeply. And then, we wait for Spirit. And Spirit will transform our sadness into joy, our aloneness into community, and our desire to serve into loving action that makes a difference.
Love & blessings,
Rev. Kathy