If only we could embody the principles that we covenant to affirm and promote! Sigh.

The recent resignation of UUA President Peter Morales, along with other members of the national staff, is a glaring reminder that the principles we hold so dear are aspirational, not descriptive. As a person who has resigned from the U.S. military in order to draw attention to an issue of concern, I appreciate Rev. Morales for his bold leadership. We need to examine white supremacy, not just in the White House, but in our house. 

We also need to have aspirations—without them, we are on a journey, but to where? I was on the way to the congregation one Sunday morning and a person on a motorcycle pulled up beside me wearing a jacket with many patches. I could not read most of them but the one that was large enough for me to decipher said “NO DESTINATION.” My first thought was, “I hope this person is not going where I am going.” 

Our principles are aspirations and they point us towards a destination. Along the way we sin. That is, we “miss the mark.” We fall short. We mess up. We do that because we are human.

From time to time we need to stop and examine ourselves, ask “how well are we embodying the principles we covenant to affirm and promote?”

We need to confront our own hypocrisy, gently, in loving community, and adjust our path. Only then will the path we are on get us to the destination we seek. 

See you on Sunday.

–Rev. Chris