Adonai, we in this room represent many traditions,
and yet there is so much that unites us. We seek knowledge. We thirst for universal prosperity and
liberty. And we care deeply about our
youth, both for their own sake and for that of the future.
Yet, when I take stock in this world at the dawn of
a new millennium, what do I see? That in
the most affluent and educated communities – and especially among their youth –
the interest in You is fading. That in my
own blessed United States of America, which is merely following the trends that
began in Europe, the fastest growing religion is “none of the above”?
Adonai, when I turn on the television or open a
newspaper, there is no shortage of talk about those who seek to destroy out of
hatred. But what about those who have
abandoned You not in order to kill, but in order to tend to their own creature
comforts? What about those who have
heard words attributed to You, words such as the words from the Torah, “Justice,
justice shall you pursue,” and who ignore these words, not out of spite or resentment,
but simply out of apathy? Are these
people not also worthy of our concerns?
Do they not also pose a threat to our world?
Adonai, I don’t see You primarily as a savior, or a
beloved, or a friend -- though Your Holy Name can be all those things. I see You as a commander. And tonight I ask that we all feel
commanded. Commanded to confront apathy
– about You and about all that is holy.
May we have the insight to realize that only by
putting our minds together, as representatives of different traditions, can we find
the antidote to this scourge of rising apathy, cascading hedonism, and all that
flows from them.
May we have the perseverance to come together, both
within our respective communities and as part of the interfaith movement, to shine
a light on the transcendent, a light so bright that even the apathetic and
cynical among us can’t help but notice.
May we have the wisdom to recognize that above all
else, You are a mystery – the mystery of what is truly Ultimate – and that it
is our job to inspire people to search for You as a mystery, and never to tell
them that we have all the answers and they must be fools if they don’t believe
us.
Adonai, may we remain resolute that to serve and
honor You is the ultimate privilege. But
above all else, may we remain forever humble.
For despite our understandable pride in recognizing Your unparalleled
greatness and our own ability to serve You here on earth, You also remind us that
there is no uglier sin than that of arrogance.
And tonight, we will commit ourselves never to be ugly. And always to serve You in beauty.
Amen
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