Date: Sunday, November 28, 2021
Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Led by: Reverend Karen Lindquist
This event is Virtual
Join Zoom Gathering
ID: 854 6484 7952
Passcode: Spirit
Interfaith Community Sanctuary’s Spiritual Discernment for 2021
“The Way of Service ~ Engaging with the World”
Our November 2021 focus: FORBEARANCE (Mercy, Self-Restraint.)
Throughout this year we shall explore the landscape of the Way of Service drawing from traditional models and contemporary experience. Each month will focus on a virtue or attribute. Each can be seen as an inherent attribute of Humanity or as an attribute of God that can be reflected in ourselves.
Song will be shared by Mark, Michael, and Zachary Douglas.
Inspired piano will be shared by Steven Crawford.
Reflections on Forbearance:
The Real Name Of God Is Love It is the power of love that is responsible For the earth to rotate without a pivot. It is the power of love that makes the stars Stand across the sky without falling on the ground. It is the power of love that keeps the oceans Within their limits. It is the power of love that makes the wind Blow incessantly in all the worlds. That power of love is mysterious, infinite, Most wonderful and one without a second; It permeates the entire cosmos. The entire creation is saturated with love. ~Telugu prayer / poem – from southern India.
In Hinduism: “Forbearance is truth, Forbearance is righteousness, Forbearance is non-violence, Forbearance is the teachings of the Vedas, Forbearance confers happiness and heavenly bliss.” ~ Telugu prayer / poem
Kshama is a Sanskrit word that means forbearance and forgiveness, calling us to live in the present, release the past, forgive others, and inspire us to profound patience for our own and others’ failings. Kshama is one of the ten restraints taught in the Upanishads (ancient Vedic texts) called Yamas, guiding us to proper conduct: Ahimsa (non-injury); Satya (truthfulness); Asteya (nonstealing); Brahmacharya (sexual purity); Kshama (patience); Dhriti (steadfastness); Daya (compassion); Arjava (honesty); Mitahara (moderate diet); Saucha (purity).
In Islam: “True forbearance is when you pardon a person who acts badly with you and opposes you, while you have the power to take revenge.” ~ saying of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Forbearance is considered the lamp of illumination received directly from Allah, guiding each person to excellence. Forbearance is not possible without without gnosis (knowledge of spiritual mysteries) and without understanding the true nature of God as Unity. There is no absolute existence besides that of God. The essence of everything and everyone is divinity: “There is no god but God…”
In Christianity: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…” (Galatians 5:22-23)
“To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.” (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NET)
In Judaism: “Heaven is patient and forgiving of our personal transgressions to a degree commensurate with the forbearance we show others.” (Rosh Hashanah 17A)
“God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in kindness and truth; preserver of kindness for thousands of generations, forgiver of iniquity, willful sin and error . . . Who cleanses . . .” (Exodus 34:6–7)
“We acknowledge to You, O Lord, that You are our God, as You were the God of our ancestors, forever and ever. Rock of our life, Shield of our help, You are immutable from age to age. We thank You and utter Your praise, for our lives that are delivered into Your hands, and for our souls that are entrusted to You; and for Your miracles that are with us every day and for your marvelously kind deeds that are of every time; evening and morning and noon-tide. Thou art good, for Thy mercies are endless: Thou art merciful, for Thy kindnesses never are complete: from everlasting we have hoped in You. And for all these things may Thy name be blessed and exalted always and forevermore. And all the living will give thanks unto Thee and praise Thy great name in truth, God, our salvation and help. Selah. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, Thy name is good, and to Thee it is meet to give thanks.”~ final blessing concluding Priestly Blessing
