Speaking of Religion
The Rev. Dr. Tim Griffin
We dance around in a ring and suppose
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows — Robert Frost
You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out,
You put your right foot in and you shake it all about
— The Hokey Pokey
A few days ago my wife and some friends hosted a party in the parish hall. A popular activity at these gatherings is line-dancing. When all the dancers know the dance, this is a joy to watch; everyone moving harmoniously with the music and with the other dancers.
As I watched I reflected on the way in which our lives together are like a big dance. Much of our common dance is choreographed by the One, who Frost refers to as "the Secret." However, many of the steps are human innovations — conventions that allow each of us to move without stepping on one another. The ideal is that our human innovations blend seamlessly with the Secret’s choreography. When this happens, our common life is good and peaceful; everyone is able to enjoy themselves, the dance, and contributions of others.
So why is it that our common dance so rarely seems good and peaceful? Deep down I suspect we all know the answer. It is because there are those among us who want to be special or in charge? And there are those among us who want more than their fair share and who are willing to sacrifice the well-being of others in order to obtain their selfish ends. And I suppose there are those who fear that by blending in and cooperating with others they will lose their unique identity, and this fear leads them to create turmoil for others and ultimately for themselves.
The consequence of these attitudes and the resulting actions is that the dance is disrupted and chaos emerges. That is not surprising, really.
When we attempt to secure a greater place for ourselves in the order of things, we are guilty of overreaching — hubris — we place ourselves in the role that is the exclusive domain of "the Secret," and chaos ensues because the order of reality is disrupted.
We see evidence of this all around us. Someone claims the role of decider, and in claiming that role sets about attempting to impose his will upon others. Isn’t resistance and war the natural outcome of such hubris? Another sets herself apart, claiming the war she originally supported is someone else’s war; not her war. Can such self-serving rhetoric do anything to restore order? Elsewhere, someone hates the color of part of the Secret’s creation and decides that this part of creation must be eradicated. Just last night — near midnight — the elected representatives of this powerful nation voted to continue funding the terrorist training facility known as the "School of the Americas." And so it goes.
But we cannot simply blame those in power. We are all responsible for the chaotic state of the dance. We all contribute to the missteps as we promote ourselves and our interests and concerns; placing ourselves, our interests and concerns above those of others. And yet, if we reflect, even momentarily, can we deny that we are all related and connected to one another? Can’t we see that when we place ourselves, our interests and concerns above others, we ultimately harm ourselves?
We cannot escape the dance. We cannot win a permanent advantage for ourselves at the expense of others. We cannot because we are all part of the same movement, the same dance. And the dance can be an event of harmonious beauty or a spectacle of chaotic ugliness, but whichever form it takes, we are still part of it. We cannot choose to "sit this one out."
So what choice do we have? We can begin to move with one another and stop striving to gain an advantage for ourselves. We can learn to appreciate that the Secret put us all here because the Secret loves us all and desires our well-being and flourishing. We can ask ourselves, "Am I trying to move with the rest or am I trying to stand out?"
In short, we can attempt to move more harmoniously within our sphere, knowing that the harmony will spread. Shall we dance? — that’s what it’s all about! ••
Father Tim Griffin is priest-in-charge at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, at 1946 Welsh Road in Bustleton.