To live our lives fully is, in itself, an act of faith. It is an investment and an appreciation: To go forth in belief that the product of our day will be worth the effort. When we invest in life, we live four important questions: What do I really want to see happen? What will it take to make that happen? What are my resources? What is my commitment?
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It is possible to give material things without a hint of affection. It is also possible to care, nurture, support, and heal even when we have few material resources to give. But life consists of material and spiritual realities together, and religious community is healthiest when we can share both.
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We aspire to dwell together in peace, to seek knowledge in freedom, and to serve humankind in fellowship, to the end that all people might grow into harmony with all that is ultimate. May we have faith in the power of human aspiration and commitment, laboring toward the commonwealth of all beings.
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Food is wonderful. It invigorates life. To join in a common meal is to feed not just the body, but also the mind, heart, spirit, and tribe. Together we receive the farmer’s sweat and toil, the labor of machinery and those who manufacture it, the product of maps, mills, and all who produce and operate them. In this way all the world lies before us. Mindfully shared, our meal of togetherness nurtures and symbolizes not just our own relationship, but also the commonality of life itself.
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Even in changing times it still warms the heart for people to sit and break bread together. The shared meal delights and nurtures the body, which is still central to ongoing life. Bread finds its way to the table by the work of the farmer, planting, nurturing, reaping the wheat; and by the work of the trucker who hauls it to the mill; and by the work of the millers and machinists and bakers and distributors.
In this way all of life is a communion of humanity. What we first need do, is remember this.
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Let us be pioneers seeking a better land. As humanity has done through the ages, let us press ever forward. Let us dare the unknown, emboldened by our faith in a future that is better than the past. Before us lies a world of potential where love, liberty, community, and justice are the standard rather than the exception. Building that world is not just an obligation, it is a privilege.
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