Little Altars Everywhere

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Sermon Audio

Sermon Text

I grew up in a household with little altars everywhere! Everywhere you looked, there was a special spot, a photograph of a family member, an image of a saint, a vase with flowers, or a single candle, to make sacred that little humble spot, to transform that space into a source of strength, a place filled with potentiality for a miracle, for a prayer answered. These everyday altars reminded us that we were not alone. The altars changed according to the season, or to the particular need. Each Saint had their specialty area: San Martin de Porres, guardian of the household, protector of our animal companions, his image was always behind the door; Saint Jude, Saint of the impossible, when all else failed, you lit a candle to St Jude. Saint Anthony, patron saint to help you find the thing you lost; St Christpher, to ensure safe travels, Virgen de Guadalupe, our mother, to protect all children and all on a migrating journey, leaving families and home behind. Later on in life, I began building community altars when our communities were being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. I moved to Boston where I worked in the AIDS law clinic and later at the Latino Health Institute. There was so much death, so many funerals, so many families who could not find consolation and compassion in the churches that had shunned and discarded their children… and when the mothers, sisters, and lovers asked me to create a communal ritual to honor the memory of their loved ones, I said Yes! And so we gathered to make paper flowers, to light candles, to bring photographs, to remember and to call out the names of their loved ones. as we responded PRESENTE! They are here with us! These community altars became a tradition which I bring with me wherever I go. Building community altars offers us the opportunity to share stories, to make meaning as we grieve and rebuild our lives. Altars can also be celebratory, to mark the seasons and express our joy and gratitude for all the blessings we receive from mother earth, from the universe, from our friends and families. Sometimes the altar is very elaborate and takes days and many hands to build. Sometimes it’s a handful of seashells, seaglass, driftwood, a bowl of water with a tiny silver mermaid. Sometimes it’s the framed picture of my grandmother, on top of a crochet doily yellow and frayed, next to her favorite yellow roses. When I set up that special spot, even the most humble altar emanates a special energy, reflecting beauty and light and connecting me to my ancestors, and to everyone who needs a prayer. An altar can be a source of hope, a prayer made from paper flowers and the light of a candle. An altar can help me connect with my quiet inner self, to practice mindfulness and the Tibetan spiritual  practice of tonglen: 

Pema Chodron described Tonglen practice visualizing taking in the pain of others with every in-breath and sending out whatever will benefit them on the out-breath. In the process, we begin to feel love for both ourselves and others; we begin to take care of ourselves and others. Tonglen awakens our compassion and introduces us to a far bigger view of reality. Tonglen can be done for those who are ill, those who are dying or have died, or those who are in pain of any kind. Building an altar, just like tonglen, can be done as a formal meditation practice or right on the spot at any time. Let us now practice this giving and receiving of compassion beginning with ourselves:

May I be filled with loving kindness
May I be well
May I be peaceful and at ease
May I be whole
May you be filled with loving kindness
May you be well
May you be peaceful and at ease
May you be whole
May we be filled with loving kindness
May we be well
May we be peaceful and at ease
May we be whole

Building altars that are ephemeral, that reflect the seasons and our needs, never meant to last forever, but needing to be refreshed and transformed over and over again, is much like the spiritual practice of noticing our breath, practicing mindfulness, never reaching perfection, always starting again with the next breath, rebuilding our days, rebuilding our hope, strengthening our connection to nature, ancestors, and our own selves. We build the altar carefully, intentionally, gently, piece by piece, as we build our inner landscapes piece by piece, prayer by prayer, candle by candle. Doing this in community offers us an opportunity to reflect on our theological diversity, to delight in learning about spiritual practices that bring us new teaching, new paths, new ways of healing. How fortunate we are to belong to a community that encourages us to be curious, to explore and learn about spiritual practices that can bring more beauty and awareness to our lives. 

Ultimately, for me, building an altar is an embodied way of praying, a way to focus my attention, to concentrate and dedicate that moment, that breath, that rose and that candle to sending loving kindness to anyone who needs it. 

Beloveds, today may we be grateful for this community, for all the ways that we bring healing and loving kindness to the world, to our families, and to ourselves. We acknowledge that we need one another to heal and find meaning in our days. We need the love and support of the community to grow and nourish our souls.

We are grateful for rituals and practices that affirm that there is power in prayer, in meditation, just as there is power in community building. If you re new to Unitarian Universalism, you can find in our gray hymnal the many sources that serve as inspiration including: Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to the renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces that create and uphold life; Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspire us in our ethical and spiritual life; and Spiritual teachings of earth centered traditions which celebrate the circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. Amen.