Saturday, February 23, 2008

An angel by any other name

One of the things I find most fascinating and exciting about Unitarian Universalism is its distinction as a covenental faith, rather than a credal faith. The way our local Reverend, Bill Sasso, explains this is, rather than being united around a set of common beliefs, our Fellowship (and other UU congregations) is united by a core set of promises we make to one another. And this covenent is firmly grounded in what we feel is essential to living authentically and working toward being better human beings and serving our local, national, and global community in a way that moves us forward together. At least, that's how I understand it at present.

Thus, I think it is sometimes hard for those who were not raised in (or have decided to eschew) a more credal type of faith to use words that carry a strongly religious connotation: church, angels, prayer, God, etc. Everyone has different comfort levels with particular words... and everyone has their own language and way of understanding their commitment to the Fellowship and its purposes and principles.

Well... today I wanted to focus on the concept of angels. Specifically, how - on certain days in given moments - people within our own lives can act in the capacity of an angel or guide when we are feeling our most lost, sorrowful, helpless, or scared. Maybe it's a random act of kindness, maybe it's being a good friend, maybe it's being in touch with the divine enough in that moment that you know just waht to say or just what to do to make someone else feel better.

My angel today was my friend, Rebecca Chambers. She was a sounding board when I felt tangled in self-doubt, fear, and confusion. She allowed me to be vulnerable long enough to uncover a very important truth, and her gentle support led to a moment of clarity and resolve that I will likely tuck deep inside my core as a treasure I may dig up when insecurity and fear threaten to overtake me again.

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