By Rev. Julianne Lepp (she/her) – UU Minister, Writer, Spiritual Director
In the news, we daily see tragedies and calls on our hearts to make a difference. In the Unitarian Universalist tradition, we believe that each person can determine their spiritual path, and that each of us has dignity and worth. Religions across the world focus on the golden rule and showing love and hospitality to one another. In this time, more of us need to heed the call to love one another; feeding the hungry, supporting policies that uplift the suffering and the poor, and caring for the only home we have—this planet. Joseph Campbell defines a hero as someone who has given their life to something bigger than themselves. What is the call that moves us out of the pews and into the world? Is it cries for peace or for freedom? Is it the call of nature and protecting our water, forests, and air?
Whatever that call may be, it speaks to something that goes deeper than a need in society or the world at large. It is a call to our shared humanity, it is a call to the sanctity of the people, life, planet, and places around us. It is a need that calls from within ourselves to make meaning and make a difference. As life often teaches, it is not buying the fastest and newest gadgets that bring meaning. It is the actions that bring us into relationship. It is the engagement of our hearts, souls, and minds with something larger than ourselves. Making meaning is one reason why some of us seek out social action as a way to live out our values and beliefs.
I remember one of the first stories that had a strong influence on me as a child was the story of the Good Samaritan. It spoke to my belief in being an ally, standing up for others, and helping the “unseen.” Yet really, the good Samaritan’s relationship with the traveler is not over when the abused traveler is healed and fed. What will become of the victim after the Samaritan rides away? Can the injured traveler find a job? Can this road be made safe for travel? We can provide the most effective help by identifying and addressing the root cause of the problem. Is a family struggling because a mother is in prison on first-time drug charges, rather than going into treatment and keeping the family intact? Does someone need housing, mentorship, or just a caring community? What can we do to change the system and break the cycle? How can we bring love and dignity to the stranger, to the “other?” How can we be changed in our relationships by trying to make a difference? We are the giver and the receiver in these actions and relationships.Organizations like JONAH call us into the beloved community, into working together instead of against one another, and most powerfully – looking to the root of the problem, rather than simply putting a band-aid on it and walking away. This kind of work calls us to our best selves and grounds us in a love that lifts all boats. It moves us from “I” to “thou” and to “we” instead of simply “me”. I am better because of JONAH, and I am better because of my relationship with this organization’s work and people over the past fourteen years I’ve been in Eau Claire.