Winter Solstice Sermon

                                                    © 2014 Dr. Jennifer R. Thomson

Non-commercial use encouraged with credit to author and source.

Linden Ridge, Mukwonago

    December 14, 2014

    Lights in the Darkness

Unitarian Universalism is my religious home; sun worship is my spiritual practice. I have always felt drawn to sunshine.
·       I dry laundry outside in the sun.
·       In Wisconsin, I drive a convertible—top down—even in winter.
·       In all south-facing areas of my house, the chairs sit with their backs to the rooms; they face the windows and the sunlight. It does seem anti-social, but—my cats seem to like it.

And I am not alone—well, maybe I’m alone in some specific practices, but not in the religious idea of sun worship. One of the earliest religious celebrations observed by people around the world, especially in far northern and far southern latitudes, is Winter Solstice.

In December here in the Northern Hemisphere, we have watched the sun’s path for six months, since Summer Solstice in June. This path has led the sun closer and closer to the horizon and toward the southern skies. On Winter Solstice, it seems to us as if that movement stops. . . . For a couple of days, it looks as if the sun stands still in its path (“sol” means “sun” and “stice” means to stand still). After winter solstice, the sun gradually rises higher day by day as its path shifts northward—until the next summer solstice when the sequence begins again.

Winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. Let’s journey back in time to the earliest days of human civilization and see whether we can find out how the length of day or night influences religions around the world . . .

I invite you to close your eyes if you’re comfortable doing so and imagine a way of life very different from yours today. First, imagine no electricity—no lights, no heat, no stove, no refrigerator, no phone, no computer, no television, no iPad.

You have no books, no written language.

You live in a cave or perhaps a shelter made of earth or stones or animal skins. Your only heat—and only light in the darkness—comes from a fire made with wood you must gather, haul and cut—and you cut it with stone tools you made yourself.

If you live very far north, you have 24 hours of darkness for weeks. Here in Mukwonago, winter solstice features about 9 hours of light and 15 hours of darkness for several days. Try to picture what you would do during the long nights in ancient times.

Come on back to the 21^st Century now and open your eyes.

Our current lifestyle allows us to ignore cycles of nature—unless we’re farmers or in the tourist industry. Next Sunday, you may not even notice the shortest day and longest night of the year. But 10,000 years ago, our ancestors’ lives revolved around natural cycles. Their lives depended on understanding those cycles. And they incorporated those natural cycles into their religious lives. Archaeological sites from the Americas to the British Isles feature structures aligned so that the solstice sun, at particular times of the day, will focus on particular spots.

One story of the winter solstice season has been told, in variations, all over the world for thousands of years. From the Maori of New Zealand to Celts in Ireland; from ancient North Americans to Igbo and [ee-vay] Ewe peoples of West Africa; from Southeast Asia to South America; central European Germanic and Slavic cultures to Ancient Greeks and Romans and other Mediterranean peoples, including those on the western edge of Asia. There, 2000 years ago, Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus echoed the winter solstice story told round the world:

the story of the birth of a new god.

Many versions of the winter solstice story first describe the decline and death of the old sun god—followed by the birth of the new sun god. People watched each year as the old sun—a god in many cultures—fell farther and farther in the sky, shone for fewer and fewer hours each day, became weaker and weaker. Then one day, the new sun began to climb higher, to remain out longer and to shine brighter. They told stories to make sense of their observations.

In ancient Rome, actors literally embodied the story. When the old god died to make way for the new baby god, the Romans actually killed the man who portrayed the old god. Their winter solstice play included ritual human sacrifice every year. But most cultures kept everyone alive and focused on the sun’s rebirth.

Your earlier journey back to ancient times might suggest why the longest night—and the return of the sun—would have religious significance to ancient peoples. Consider:
·       In the darkness, you cannot easily find food.
·       In the darkness, the familiar becomes unfamiliar.
·       In the darkness, you cannot see danger approach.
·       In the darkness, you struggle to find your way home to family and warmth and safety.

The rebirth of the sun, the longer hours of daylight, brought greater physical warmth and safety to ancient humans.

Today, Unitarian Universalist tradition draws on the lifesaving hope of light in the darkness. We begin each worship service by lighting a flaming chalice. This symbol of salvation was born in response to the darkness of Nazi violence.

In the early 1940s, millions of European refugees flooded Lisbon, Portugal, because it was the only open port in Europe—the only way out from Nazi occupation. Unitarian minister Rev. Charles Joy (great name for a minister) supervised work at the newly formed Unitarian Service Committee. During World War II, they helped thousands of people, mostly Jews, escape death.

In the darkness of those times, danger was constant. In addition, Rev. Joy faced other difficulties:

·       refugees came from all parts of Europe, speaking many different languages;

·       the Unitarian Service Committee was new and relatively unknown, so people who needed help struggled to find them;

·       even worse, trusting the wrong person in Europe during those days could lead to capture instead of escape.

Rev. Joy knew they needed a clear, recognizable symbol that could communicate across languages, inspire trust and identify the USC and their agents without endangering them or refugees. A symbol could say, without words, “We’re here to help. We can light your way in the darkness.”

An artist named Hans Deutsch designed a symbol that was official, immediately recognizable and representative of the USC’s lifesaving work. Deutsch combined two ancient religious archetypes: a chalice and a flame. His design became the official seal of the Unitarian Service Committee and a powerful symbol of hope, help and light in the darkness of Nazi-occupied Europe.

Today, the flaming chalice represents the spiritual illumination of Unitarian Universalism. Whenever we meet for worship, we light the flaming chalice as a reminder of the warmth and community and religious journey we share here together.

Your earlier journey into the ancient past helps explain why we humans naturally fear the physical darkness of long, long winter nights. They remind us of our deepest fears, of the spiritual darkness we can’t bear to face. But these l o n g, l o n g nights also provide time for introspection, time to examine the internal darkness each of us feels and fears.

Why would anyone want to do that?

An answer to that question—and to most vital questions in life—can be found in the 1960s television series (and source of spiritual Truths): Star Trek. For those whose minds went somewhere else the second I mentioned Star Trek, I assure you: the plot I will summarize here is both brief and KEY to my point today. When you hear the KEY word, you’ll know the Star Trek story nears completion. That KEY word is “embrace.”

For our purposes, you need to know only two things about Star Trek:

·       First, it’s science fiction so weird things happen.

·       Second, Captain Kirk is a person of authority, a strong and trusted leader. 

I now invite you to journey into the future. Our hero—Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship [pause/eyebrows] Enterprise—finds himself divided (it doesn’t matter how) into two physically identical Captain Kirks. However, each Kirk possesses separate parts of the original Kirk’s personality. The first is soft-spoken, straightforward, kind. The second—swaggering, manipulative, violent. In the beginning, the first Kirk seems to be the better man—until we see him incapable of making decisions, unable to face difficulties, paralyzed by fear. Eventually, the two physical Kirks are rejoined into one (doesn’t matter how) AND the two parts of Kirk’s personality are reconciled.

But to achieve this reconciliation, the first Kirk—trembling with fear—must subdue the resistant second Kirk and then hold that unconscious doppelganger in his arms. The two are soon reunited into the one original confident, competent, commanding yet compassionate Captain James T. Kirk. In order to become wholly who he is, he must EMBRACE that part of himself he most fears and despises.

If only it were that easy. Star Trek does tend to simplify big ideas. The truth in this tale of two Kirks is that it’s the combination of the “light” and the “darkness” within each of us that makes us who we are. To function at full capacity, we must push through our fears to embrace that darkness within. We must reconcile all parts of who we are, a task that frightened even the indomitable Captain Kirk.

During the longest, darkest nights of our spirits, we may feel weaker and more frightened than the first Kirk. When my daughters both moved out of my house seven years ago—the older to college, the younger to live with her father—I experienced longer and darker spiritual nights than I had ever known before. It took some time for me to gather the courage to ask for help, but as soon as I did, family and friends and fellow UUs from my home congregation all responded generously and lovingly.

My psychiatrist gave my darkness a name, a diagnosis: Major Depressive Disorder. Unlike Captain Kirk, I don’t have futuristic technology to help me reconcile the frightening parts of myself with the more confident, competent parts. Instead, I call on resources available here and now: family, friends, community—as well as health care professionals, ministerial colleagues and my Unitarian Universalist faith.

I have learned to embrace all of who I am.

I have learned that my experiences with darkness prepare me to provide better care for others as they face their darkness.

I have learned that I am stronger and more determined and more resilient than I had ever thought possible.

And I have learned that the darkest spiritual nights do end; the sun returns.

When it does, I put the top down on my convertible. I turn the chairs to face the sunny windows. I hang my laundry out on the line. I enjoy the sunshine more knowing the darkness will cycle around again.

When your spirit feels too dark for too long, turn to some of the many lights all around you:
·       At Winter Solstice, join your ancestors in giving thanks for the rebirth of sunlight and the comfort, warmth & safety that brings.
·       Throughout the year, shine the chalice flame of hope into your spiritual darkness.
·       When your own flame dims or even dies out, as it must from time to time, remember: you can rekindle it here in community with others.

Embrace the darkness within you despite your fear; trust that you will gain strength and confidence from it. Take courage from people such as Rev. Charles Joy, whose work saved thousands—and whose life of sacrificial love professed his faith to the world in a way that inspires and uplifts . . . and thereby continues to save lives even today.

May the flaming chalice you light here together each month—symbol of warmth, safety … and lifesaving hope—light your way even during the longest, darkest times.

Sources:

“The Enemy Within.” Dir. Leo Penn. Perf. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Grace Lee Whitney, George Takei, James Doohan, Ed Madden (as Edward Madden), Garland Thompson, Jim Goodwin, Nichelle Nichols, Eddie Paskey. NBC, 1966. Star Trek. 11 Dec 2014. Netflix.  

“Flame of Learning, Chalice of Love,” by Janeen Grohsmeyer. From Tapestry of Faith RE Curriculum Online. http://www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/tapestryfaith/creatinghome/session2/sessionplan/stories/59338.shtml

“The Flaming Chalice,” a pamphlet by Rev. Dan Hotchkiss, published by UUA, 1994 (also available in an online version from the UUA website at http://www.uua.org/publications/pamphlets/introductions/151248.shtml)

 “Unitarian Couple Honored for World War II Heroism: Only One Other American Has Received Israel’s ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ Designation,” by Michelle Bates Deakin. UUWorld Online, Dec. 2005. http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/2453.shtml

“Wartime Origins of the Flaming Chalice,” by Dan Hotchkiss, UUWorld  Online, May/June 2001. http://www.uuworld.org/ideas/articles/2442.shtml

“Winter Solstice,” Wikipedia.

Sources of photos and additional information:

  “Stonehenge Sunset Solstice Tour.” Stonehenge Tours. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  Morris, Jon. “The Other Stonehenge Solstice Connection.” Heaven’s Henge: A Geocentric Worldview. 29 March 2013. Web. 14 Dec 2014. http://heavenshenge.blogspot.com/  

   “Significance of Stonehenge.” English Heritage.org.uk. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  “Winter Solstice at Stonehenge 2014.” English Heritage. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  “Images of Dowth Megalithic Passage Tomb.” Knowth.com. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  “Newgrange.” Voices from the Dawn: The Folklore of Ireland’s Ancient Monuments. Web. 13 Dec 2014. http://www.voicesfromthedawn.com/newgrange/

  Newgrange.com. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  “Newgrange.” Voices from the Dawn: The Folklore of Ireland’s Ancient Monuments. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  “Chaco Night Sky Program.” Chaco Culture National Historic Park, New Mexico. National Park Service. 13 Dec 2014. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  “History and Culture.” Chaco Culture National Historic Park, New Mexico. National Park Service. 13 Dec 2014. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  “Pueblo Bonito.” Wikipedia. 1 Oct 2014. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  Sofaer, Anna. “The Primary Architecture of the Chacoan Culture: A Cosmological Expression.” Research. Solstice Project. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  “Fajada Butte.” Wikipedia. 21 Jun 2014. Web. 13 Dec 2014.

  ”Petroglyphs.” Photo Gallery. Chaco Culture National Historic Park. National Park Service. 13 Dec 2014. Web.