a sermon about the poor in spirit

Address

Who has been to see the Da Vinci code? The ‘in thing’ is to say you haven’t seen it - and better still, ‘you haven’t read the book’. Even Jonathan Ross said on the tele last Friday ‘ Well I haven’t read it actually’. He seemed to know a lot about it for someone who hadn’t read it.

Actually I have read the book, but please don’t tell anyone. It wasn’t as good as King Solomon's Mines - or Jason and Argonauts. I did enjoy it for a while but then it seemed to get silly - just like many other thrillers - somewhere they start to become even more unbelievable that you are prepared to accept.

What makes it popular is that it plays with the truths of a religion. It is more fascinating to ask questions of Christianity than of any other religion - not because Christianity is more fascinating but because it is easier to tease.

It would be too insensitive towards Muslims to challenge anything written in the Koran. Jews seem more confident in their religion and non believers can say what they like about it.

There are Christians who are up in arms about the Da Vinci code - calling for a boycott of cinemas But what does that say about Christianity? I would like to think that if a person is sure about their belief then it doesn’t matter what other people might say about it. You will always be the house built on rock.

The teachings of Jesus have not changed - whether he is considered God or a married mortal.

Unitarians built their house on rock over many centuries and they weathered all the storms that conventional Christianity threw at them.

Unitarians of old based their Christian belief on the teachings of Jesus rather than the personality of Jesus - and out of that teaching they felt called to minister to humanity - especially the poor, not just to themselves. Unitarians were at the forefront of social change during the nineteenth century. Schools, libraries, parks, hospitals, fire services, what we now call public services were all part of the drive to make life better for the people - irrespective of which religion they followed.

Times have changed. The state took over all those public enterprises, the Unitarian faith was mostly accepted everywhere - and so it has withered away to an almost insignificant number. But if we thought the work was done - and there were no more brave causes left’ - we would be wrong.
I chose the two readings today because I wasn’t sure whether I just did not understand them properly or because I just didn’t agree with them.

The sermon on the mount in Matthew’s gospel sets out the core teachings of Jesus - just about everything is included in thos three chapters - including the Lords Prayer and building your house on a rock. .

but why ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their is the kingdom of heaven’?

The poor in spirit are all around us - but it doesn’t really seem like heaven.

There is still poverty in this country - material poverty which is not good for the spirit - and there is spiritual poverty which makes material plenty meaningless.

There is poverty throughout the world - and it doesn’t seem like the Kingdom of Heaven.

Once the church used to say that poverty on earth made you rich in heaven - but that was just a good way to make the poor feel blessed

Now people are saying that our modern western world with all its material wealth and financial support for the less well off is suffering because there is not enough happiness around. People are not content with their life styles.

Happiness cannot be measured in terms of material wealth. Happiness is measured in terms of richness of spirit.

One thing about being a Unitarian is that we are able to question what we read - even what we read in the Bible. We can ask, Did some later scribe slip that bit in about the poor in spirit? Or is it there to challenge?

Blessed are the poor in spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven!

I also did a double take on Mencius when I read, ‘The tendency of human nature towards good is like the tendency of water to flow down’

Is this true or false?

If we look at the world today, it seems to be quite the opposite. The former Yugoslavia and now Iraq - when the restraints of the tyrant are taken away the tendency of human nature is towards chaos and brutality. Human nature dehumanises other people. The violent and selfish sides of their natures come to the surface.

The only positive thing you can say is that this dark side of human nature does inspire the few good people to come forward to do good deeds amongst the suffering. There will always be aid workers, doctors, teachers, engineers willing to try to overcome the awful consequences of what is happening because of dark human nature. They are the rich in spirit.

I do believe there is a tendency in human nature to do good but it doesn’t flow as water flows down. In some it does but in many it lies like a deep aquifer - an underground cistern that needs a well sinking into it before it is of any use.

It is like wakening the dormant spirituality. Causing a shift in the balance of selfish genes against the selfless gene. It is the awakening of light within the darkness. It is in creating love for oneself and respect for oneself to such an extent that there is no need to demand it from others - to need to take it from others - rather it is a state where there is plenty to give.

This Unitarian faith has always believed that the spirit exists in everyone. Some may be poor in spirit others may be rich but no one is without.

Through our life’s experience and through the influence of others we develop this spirit - we learn about happiness and unhappiness and that life has to be lived in perspective. When we become rich in spirit then we can ride out the storms of life and not go under. We learn that searching out this spiritual path, plumbing into this deep spiritual well brings strength and contentment into the whole of life.

The whole process of spiritual discovery works best in the company of others - of like minded people exploring together, supporting one another. All the books are open.

It is not about being in a group that is controlled - or told what to believe - or made to obey certain rules or made to make their bodies and spirits suffer for their faith.

I worked with a group once who used to say ‘ the only discipline here is self discipline’ - and that is the way the spiritual life should be.

Unitarians now no longer follow a collective belief in as much as people can say - ‘O they believe this or they believe that’.

Now the Unitarians are a collective group of individuals - there are many different groups wearing different badges on their flag - but all do fly the same flag.

It is the flag that proclaims the individual as a free person on a spiritual path - who is seeking to become rich in spirit - who finds comfort with like minded people.

In the current edition of the National Unitarian Fellowship Newsletter it says that ‘Unitarians who have power and control over themselves do not need power and control over others’ which I thought was pretty smart - especially since I wrote it.

But Unitarians have to go a step further. I believe our lights must shine in the world amongst the poor in spirit. I believe that out amongst the poor in spirit the old messages of religion have no place - messages that demand obedience and sacrifice and guilt.

Religion that wants to make people poor in spirit and bless them for it is not for today.

What the Unitarians can offer is a welcome and they can offer understanding and they can offer comfort.

Unitarians can say welcome to the spiritual pilgrims and the spiritual seekers. Invite them to share the journey but not tell them where to walk or how to walk.

Is there a need for us to shine our lights in the world. I think ‘Yes’ because the poor in spirit are looking for somewhere to go - else they wouldn’t be so fascinated with the Da Vinci code - and so dissatisfied with the world.