The human soul has intrinsic value. Its value extends beyond what the human being is capable of doing…of earning…of being. It extends beyond one’s human capacity to express oneself. The human soul is meant to be treasured, purely because it IS.
What does this mean, exactly? How do we, as spiritual beings, hold this? On a practical level, this includes meeting basic human rights, such as food, shelter, and medical needs. And, within all of this, dignity—recognition of the dignity of the human soul.
It seems that there have long been "haves" and “have nots" in our world:
Jesus said, "The poor you shall always have with you." (1)
In the Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) set a code in place recognizing the responsibility that the more privileged have to care for the less privileged. This is considered a holy duty in Islam.
Judaism has a strong history of advocating for social justice and for Tikkun Olam, the repair of the world.
Hindu philosophy points to the presence of the Divine in all. "Every Hindu should empathize with others in need, because they are only superficially 'others'; in truth they are part of the same God." (2)
Buddhists ascribe value to all beings, not only to humans: "May I attain enlightenment, for the benefit of all sentient beings." (3)
In Earth-based spirituality, an inherent value and respect extends deeply into the natural world as well as to each human being. Plants, animals, stones, earth and water are sacred. One’s actions in relationship to these need always to be considered and mindful.
"Do no harm."
(Hippocrates)
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
(The Golden Rule)
So, do we do unto others in this way? Do you? Do I? I suspect not. At least, not always; not faithfully. We try, but we’re human and sacred and imperfect. We forget…we’re busy…we’re distracted…and so on.
Over the course of these last few weeks of study, I came to realize how thoroughly inadequate I feel to the subject of social justice issues. It didn’t seem to matter which one I looked at. They all seemed huge and daunting. Everything seemed so broken.
While it has helped to speak with people engaged in creating change, and to see the improvements the various organizations have made in their communities, I have continued to struggle with a sense of panic and helplessness. I wanted to be able to “fix” something, and I couldn’t. What could possibly make a difference, in the face of the vast needs of this planet and the people living on her?
Finally, my brain untwisted when I stumbled across a beautiful photograph of a young mother with her child, and under it this quote from Kahlil Gibran (4):
"Beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.
But you are life
And you are the veil."
You are life. And I am life. And that mother and baby are life.
I see this reflecting back to me, bringing the question, "What can I do with my human expression of soul? How can I, in my life, 'unveil life’s holy face to reveal beauty?' "
Gandhi said, “It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing… You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”
We all have the challenge to continue refining ourselves—not just now, but throughout our lives. Right now, in this moment, I believe that my job is to pay better attention to the challenges of the world. Next month, I have an appointment at our local Interfaith Center. I’m thinking I may start volunteering there a few hours a month. Perhaps I will find new ways to “draw back the veil for a glimpse of the holy face.”
My prayer for us all:
May we each
find our own unique ways
to embody the ideal of love
for our fellow beings,
remembering that
magic happens!
Amen.
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NOTES
(1) Matthew 26:11, New International Version.
(2) Dr. Vidya Bhushan Gupta, "Social Justice in Hindu Tradition," www3.sympatico.ca/truegrowth/society5.html.
(3) A Vajrayana Buddhist prayer for taking refuge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge_(Buddhism).
(4) In The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran (1923).
