Unitarian Universalism is an optimistic faith

            Our faith says good things about human persons

            That we have the strength and the smarts and the moral sense

                        To do what needs to be done

                        By our own good power

                        Without supernatural fiat

            That we can live in this world

                        Peacefully,

                        Justly

                        Joyfully

                        Lovingly

            This has been a difficult week for an optimistic faith

            The human capacity for cruelty has been laid bare

            We were forced to witness and confess to

                        Our inability to solve our problems

                        Our repeated bad choices compounded over decades

                        Our sneering contempt for justice

                        Our loyalty to tribe and disdain of neighbors

                        Our elevation of ideology over human life

                        Our slavish devotion to violence despite the demonstrated impotence of violence to achieve our goals

                        Our cold comfort in anger and revenge

that only temporarily soothes the despairing lie

that peace is impossible.

            My optimistic faith has been challenged this week

                        I hurt

I mourn

I doubt

            My own human strength and smarts and skills

            Were insufficient, this week

                        To soothe my own soul

                        Or to point the way toward the hopeful future I look for.

And so,

                        I come to church

                        I come to community

                        I come to this quiet testament

                                    That human morality can distinguish between good and evil

                                    That stories of human failure can be balanced by stories of human success

                                    That weak spirits can be made strong when we encourage each other 

                                    That bad ideas can be rejected and good ideas made better when we discuss and debate openly

                                    That we can hold each other in a container of love

                                                And hold the space open for those who would join us

                                                One by one

            Our faith is an optimistic faith

            but also a realistic faith

            Optimism doesn’t mean naivete

            But realism doesn’t mean nihilism

            When the world looks dark

                        There is a light

            We are the light.