Pastor’s Corner: Who am I?

March 21, 2018

Who am I?

No, I haven’t forgotten my name (despite the truth that I remember faces much better than names – I told somebody recently that “I’m very good at names, except for remembering them”). And I haven’t come to some sort of crisis of existence. Lately, however, people have repeatedly reminded me, in various ways, how important my identity (your identity, our identity) is for creating or limiting our possibilities.

My Unitarian Universalist colleague, the Rev. Catherine Ishida, observed that the ability of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, to stand for their convictions and declare their truth has a great deal to do with the way they’d been formed in that very school. Marjorie Stoneman Douglas herself was a journalist who advocated, over her long life, for women’s rights (beginning with the vote) and a healthy environment. Her leadership preserved vast swathes of the Florida Everglades.

The students in the school named after her have been raised to take after her.

At a recent clergy educational gathering, we learned of the devastating impact of emotional abuse within relationships, and how abusers manipulate their victims: “You’re worthless. Nobody could love you. Nobody will believe you.” That terrible “formation” of abused spouses and children requires years of support and help before they can form identities with broader horizons.

Jesus, I firmly believe, calls us to identities with wide horizons, vigorous life, and enormous capacity to do great things. Jesus calls us to a strong, positive identity for our selves, and a strong, positive identity for our church.

Who am I? I am God’s child. Who are you? You are God’s child.

Who are we?

We are none other than the people of God, and we will celebrate and do wonders.

With aloha,

Pastor Eric