Inspiration: 

Í say móre: the just man justices;

Kéeps gráce: thát keeps all his goings graces;        

 

Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is—

Chríst—for Christ plays in ten thousand places,

Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his

To the Father through the features of men’s faces.

–Gerard Manley Hopkins

Earth and Spirit: Belonging to the Earth

The UU Seventh Principle reminds us that we are to hold “respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.” The “of which we are a part” section is deeply important, because otherwise we may become lost in the false separation between ourselves as human beings and the rest of the earthly realm. The teachings we draw upon as a faith—from existentialist philosophers to indigenous teachings, to cosmology and Buddhism and other faith traditions—all have a lot to say about interdependence and connection. I do believe, however, that sometimes where we may fall short in this inquiry of belonging is in how we live into the idea.

You may be able to easily identify where you feel that sense of embodied belonging. The visceral moment of remembering our connections to the All is what I call grace. It may be in the garden, or sitting with a child, or working side by side with friends on a service project. It is a practice of mindfulness, this belonging—noticing what is, feeling it in your core. The beautiful thing about grace is that it is always there, waiting for your attention. And, once you deeply know your belonging, you feel more deeply motivated and empowered to act on behalf of the All. Rainforest activist John Seed came to see this when he said, “I am not protecting the rainforest. I am the part of the rainforest that has arisen to protect itself.” This is truly a gift that serves our faith’s commitment to love and justice.

by Barbara Ford TO READ MORE