Happiness
Contributed by Stephen Wickman, St. Thomas Episcopal, McLean
Just in time for Passover and Holy Week, after Ramadan, and just as we face earth-shattering tariff and other wars, the 2025 World Happiness Report reminds us what we already know from our various faith traditions: money isn’t everything WHR Dashboard.
While there is a strong correlation between GDP and happiness, Finland, number 15 in the GDP per capita parade, is once again the world’s happiest country for seven years in a row.
The United States (number 4 in income per capita) has fallen out of the top twenty, behind Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Norway, Israel, Luxembourg, Mexico (ole!), Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Belgium, Ireland, Lithuania (!), Austria, Canada (maybe we should become the eleventh province or even a territory), Slovenia, Czechia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, and even our ex-colonial master, the UK.
The snarky “Economist” magazine admits that gender equality, trust in national institutions and fellow citizens, and low corruption are all important factors in Finland’s happiness rating, and it is fitting that in Finland became the first country in the world to give women both the full right to vote and to run in parliamentary elections. And when Reader’s Digest “lost” 12 wallets containing cash and contact details to test the honesty of citizens in 16 cities around the world, Helsinki was tops.
Oh, and Finland has excellent free education, universal health care and family-friendly policies. Health services are not totally free, but they are affordable.
The authors find that caring and sharing, especially socializing with others, maintaining connections, sharing meals, living with others, stressing family bonds, supporting others through prosocial behavior, trusting others, and giving to others, all lead to greater happiness. Unhappiness and social distrust, however, lead to a destructive form of “populism.”
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Contributed by Susan Posey, Redeemer Lutheran, McLean
This past week I watched with wonder as spring really made its presence known. The sprays of yellow, pink and white blossoms on the trees and pushing up through the ground, the warmer temperatures, all served to remind me that no matter our human challenges and travails, our Creator (and nature) is constant. I look forward to long walks, working in the garden and even reading on my porch again. Oh, and baseball started again. All good for the soul.
And speaking of gardening, I found in our Fairfax County Supervisor, Jimmy Bierman’s newsletter, a segment on spring gardening and growing which links to a county webpage entitled Think Spring! 12 Ways to Get Ready for Gardening and Growing Season. This page contains links to all sorts of things, such as how to get advice from a Master Gardener, how to get free mulch, and a list of local farmers markets.
The temperatures may continue to go up and down for a while, but there is no doubt that the rebirth of nature is upon us, thanks be to God. May the season bring hope and rejuvenation to us all.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Contributed by: Anonymous
On Sunday, February 9, 2025, about 35 people gathered for a multi-faith devotional organized by members of the Tysons Interfaith group. Held in the home of one of the members in Alexandria, the gathering honored the victims, first responders, and families affected by the recent air crash in Washington, DC.
Representatives from Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha’i faiths shared prayers and reflections on life’s purpose and humanity’s spiritual journey. As prayers were offered, a deep sense of unity, compassion, and peace filled the room, highlighting our shared values and common spiritual aspirations.
The evening was a reminder that in honoring our diversity, we can also find strength, harmony, and hope in building a more united world.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Contributed by Andra Baylus, Regional Director of the Meher Baba Spiritual Community
You will enjoy this story which has become a classic during interfaith gatherings for Ramadan:
Years ago, before I retired, I taught ESOL ( English Speakers of Other Languages) in a middle school in Fairfax County. I had 15 children in one of my English classes, most of whom were Muslim. When I looked out at my ESOL English class, it was as though many of the people whom we associate with the religion of Islam were sitting right in front of me studying at their desks: Muhammad, Qadir, Kadija, Ali, Yusuf, Musa, Mariam, etc.
Ramadan had arrived and my Muslim students who were fasting were invited to come to the library to avoid the tempting aromas of the delicious food they otherwise would be eating. I felt they would be far more comfortable coming to their own ESOL classroom where they would be relaxed, as if they were in their own homes. It dawned on me, however, that it would be terribly insensitive of me to invite them to my classroom and then proceed to eat my lunch in front of them. At that moment, I decided that the most thoughtful thing to do was to fast along with my Muslim students. So, I began fasting….
I was friends with Negat, the ESOL teacher across the hallway, and knew that as an Egyptian Muslim she would find it interesting that I was fasting for Ramadan. So, before classes began one morning, having embarked upon fasting for Ramadan for the first time in my life, I eagerly approached her and happily shared that I was joining her and was fasting for Ramadan. I excitedly shared that I had not had anything to eat or drink in 3 days. Instead of being as encouraging as I had hoped for, she quickly responded, seemingly in shock, “You haven’t had anything to eat or drink in 3 days?” I proudly answered, “No, of course not, I made a commitment to fasting for Ramadan just like you.” Negat burst out laughing and said, “Andra, we don’t do it that way! We eat breakfast before the sun comes up and eat dinner after the sun goes down!” I let out a sigh of relief saying, “Oh my goodness Negat! I was not going to eat or drink anything for 30 days! I felt if you could do it, so could I.” This was a moment in time Negat and I will always cherish.
I continued to fast, this time more intelligently than before since I was inspired to learn more about Ramadan. During my fasting experience, I noticed some interesting changes. I actually felt closer to every human being ~ especially those suffering food scarcity. I wanted all the more to help them and did whenever I saw the opportunity to donate to a worthy cause. My heart seemed more open and I became more sensitive to the world around me and even more appreciative of the Divine orchestration of life with all of its creative forms and species. I found myself not wanting to harm any creatures whether large or small. I began taking even better care of my plants making sure they had appropriate water and pruning. Regarding everyday tasks, not being distracted by the concerns of preparing or imbibing food, actually opened up more time to focus and accomplish tasks previously put aside. Most especially, Ramadan became a time to rethink my perspective in areas of my life which I had not considered as carefully during other parts of the year. I thought about the myriad of roles I play with family, friends and colleagues and how I might enhance those relationships.
The beauty of our varied religious paths is that embedded within our respective religions are ways the Divine has ensured moments when we are encouraged to rethink and refresh our lives in order to enhance the years that we have upon this earth. One of these spiritual practices is fasting, which I have personally experienced yields many benefits. Though I fasted for 15 years and stopped for 3, once again I am going to fast during this most challenging year and beseech the “Divine By All Names” to ~ “ Guide us on the right path…” as is written in the Fatiha, the most sacred prayer in Islam. So far, the good news is that, having fasted for just one day, I am more at peace with global events and reinvigorated to be a better family member, friend and colleague and to live a more purposeful life using my gifts, skills and talents to bless the world.
What a blessing Ramadan is!
To learn more about the special holiday of Ramadan in Islam, you may find this information helpful:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ramadan
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
I went to church last Sunday. The Gospel reading was the words of Jesus in Luke 6: 27-38.
“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (New Revised Standard Version of the Bible)
That is a lot to process. Especially here and now when so much of what I hear in today’s news upsets and angers me. Things that are happening are painful to me and do not jibe with, indeed are opposite of my understanding of God and country. So, how am I supposed to incorporate this text into my life?
Helping me to grapple with this question comes big, strapping Max Miller, a not yet thirty-year-old seminarian with a Duke Divinity degree. This wise-beyond-his-years soul whom I have known since he was a child growing up in our congregation is now on his way to becoming a called and ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Max delivered for me.
In his sermon on this Gospel text, Max reminded us that the practice of loving your enemy has already moved mountains in our country! He used the examples of Jackie Robinson, Reverend Pauli Murray, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., all of whom helped us to evolve as a country by their example of love for ALL of their fellow humans. This radical love did not mean that they were doormats or were silent in the face of evil. Rather, it meant that they confronted these challenges not with violence or degradation of others, but with love. God’s love. And you can’t beat that.
The text of Max’s sermon can be found here and a video recording of his sermon can be found here.
I hope this Gospel text and Max’s observations on it give you food for thought and encouragement as they did me.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Contributed by: Lois Herr– First Church of Christ, Scientist, McLean
Many people set aside time in their day for prayer, reflection, or meditation. As a Christian Science practitioner, I often find inspiration in daily audio reflections, called the Daily Lift, and presented by members of our church.
A recent timely Daily Lift by Karen Neff, a Christian Science Practitioner from Mystic, Connecticut, is entitled, “Infinite good is always available.” In this segment, Karen shares about her own experience in life, and how she came to understand that even in challenging times we always have access to all that we need as God’s beloved spiritual creation.
The Daily Lift is comprised of audio presentations contributed by Christian Science church members worldwide – with the majority coming from the U.S. This particular Lift will remain on the website for thirty days before being retired.
May this segment bring you peace and encouragement.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Contributed by Andra Baylus, Regional Director of the Meher Baba Spiritual Community
I recently became aware of the Islamic observation of Barat. Because I love to learn about the observations of different faith traditions, I did some research and learned the following:
Shab-e-Barat or “The Night of Forgiveness” is one of the most sacred nights in Islamic tradition, celebrated by millions of Muslims worldwide. It has various names worldwide, such as Cheragh-e-Barat, Berat Kandili or Nisfu Syaaban.
Shab-e-Barat is believed to be the night in which Allah (SWT) grants forgiveness and mercy to all his believers who repent for their sins and wrongdoings.
This holy night occurs on the 15th of Shaban, the eighth month of the lunar calendar in Islam. The Persian word “Shab” means “night” while “Barat” is an Arabic word meaning “forgiveness” or “salvation.” The term together represents the night in which Muslims turn to Allah (SWT) for salvation, mercy, and forgiveness.
It is a period of spiritual reflection, praying, and remembrance and is regarded as a chance for everyone to call for redemption from their past sins and start a new reformed life. It is one of the most sacred nights in Islam, similar to the nights of Laylat al-Qadr.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Contributed by Rev. Dr. Trish Hall, Center for Spiritual Living
There are two people at the top of my list of heroes, Mohandus Gandhi, the Mahatma, and Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. I instantly became a “Gandhian” as a child, the first time I read about him and how he looked at the world differently from almost everyone and yet his way aligned with the depth of my being. What Gandhi stood for made sense to me at a soul level. When I discovered that Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, embraced Gandhi’s approach – that he recognized nonviolence as the right way (the only truly sustainable way) to confront the atrocities being perpetrated against blacks, I knew – again at the soul level – that I needed to take a stand and do whatever I could to support and further Dr. King’s work.
Recently, I was researching the relationship between King and Gandhi. I discovered that Dr King, eager to learn all he could about nonviolent resistance, had sought out Gandhi and his teachings. Dr King deeply connected with Gandhi’s approach and put it to work. Dr. King was the embodiment of nonviolent action.
My research revealed an article that was new to me in form, yet familiar to me in content. Dr King wrote the article, “My Trip to the Land of Gandhi,” four weeks after his return from a tour of India. It was published in Ebony in July 1959. Although Dr King’s trip to India took place 3 years after the great day of bus integration, December 21, 1956, he spoke often of how “India’s Gandhi” had been the guiding light of our technique of nonviolent social change while the Montgomery boycott was going on.
Dr King began his article … “… Even as a child the entire Orient held a strange fascination for me—the elephants, the tigers, the temples, the snake charmers and all the other storybook characters.” Dr King was a man of insatiable curiosity and wonder.
He shared that the trip had a great impact upon him personally. It had been humbling to be in Gandhi’s land, to talk with his son, his grandsons, his cousin and other relatives; to share the reminiscences of his close comrades; to visit his ashrama, to see the countless memorials for him and finally to lay a wreath on his entombed ashes at Rajghat. Dr King left India more convinced than ever before that nonviolent resistance was the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom. It was a marvelous thing for him to see the amazing results of a nonviolent campaign.
He was astounded that the usual aftermath of hatred and bitterness following a violent campaign were nowhere to be found. Instead, he discovered mutual friendship based on complete equality between the Indian and British people within the commonwealth.
Kingian Wisdom: The way of acquiescence leads to moral and spiritual suicide. The way of violence leads to bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. But the way of nonviolence leads to redemption and the creation of the beloved community.
Some assert that nonviolent resistance can only work in a situation where the resisters have a potential ally in the conscience of the opponent. Dr King disagreed and asserted that that perspective was completely wrong and arose from confusing passive resistance with nonresistance.
Kingian Wisdom: True nonviolent resistance is not unrealistic submission to evil power. It is rather a courageous confrontation of evil by the power of love, in the faith that it is better to be the recipient of violence than the inflictor of it, since the latter only multiplies the existence of violence and bitterness in the universe, while the former may develop a sense of shame in the opponent, and thereby bring about a transformation and change of heart.
Nonviolent resistance does call for love, but it is not a sentimental love. It is a very stern love that would organize itself into collective action to right a wrong by taking on itself suffering.
Gandhi modeled how to live one’s beliefs by taking “untouchables” – those he renamed “Harijans” (“children of God”) – by the hand and leading them into the temples from which they had been excluded.
Seeing India through Dr King’s eyes expanded my sense of how deeply he embraced Gandhian teaching. I sensed his frustration that amid the poverty and overcrowding of India they had made more progress in dealing with the caste system than the US had with racial injustice. The difference he identified was that the foundation of their approach rested on moral ground – something lacking from the US approach.
Dr King walked with people in pursuit of freedom and equality. He called us out for having not made more progress and admonished us to heed the Indian example and resolve our blatant racial discrimination.
The article was written in 1959 – 65 years ago. How have we progressed? What grades would Dr. King put on our report card?
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Contributed by Andra Baylus, Regional Director of the Meher Baba Spiritual Community
The First Amendment creates the very space upon which Tysons Interfaith and other interfaith organizations function as we go about the business of interfaith bridge building to create opportunities for spiritual connection, learn about different faith traditions and serve others who are part of one human family.
It is especially meaningful to be reminded of the First Amendment as we approach the installation of our new administration whose governance agenda will be bound, by law, to uphold the tenets expressed within the First Amendment guaranteeing religious freedom for all faith traditions.
The following thoughts about Religious Freedom Day, shared with me by a friend, should be a source of comfort –that the First Amendment of our Constitution will ensure the success of future interfaith bridge building activities and protect the religious freedoms of all citizens of the United States:
Honoring All Paths
National Religious Freedom Day – January 16 – is a time to remember and praise the tenets of liberty, equality, and dignity for everyone. That freedom is guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution, adopted in 1791, which says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Inherent in our celebration of religious freedom, is the right to also live with freedom of speech, of the press, and the freedom of assembly.
To restrict these freedoms is to undermine the equality, dignity, and respect of our brothers and sisters. Religious freedom makes it possible – and even legal – to publicly honor all faiths, to draw wisdom from diverse spiritual paths. In essence, the New Thought philosophy – and the teaching of it – would not have been allowed without the guarantee of this freedom.
The groundwork for this liberty was established in the 17th century when thousands of Catholics, Puritans, and other religious freethinkers were facing harassment and persecution by the Church of England, which sought to inaugurate itself as the mandatory religion of the nation. The dissenters, who vowed to not be bound by these conditions, showed great dedication and courage in boarding ships for the “New World.”
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Contributed by Susan Posey, Redeemer Lutheran, McLean
Like many Americans, I was very invested in the Presidential election. I felt that the stakes were very high. People in my family and some life-long friends did not support the candidate I did. I struggled to wrap my head around this. How could these good people, with whom I knew I shared values, come to such a starkly different conclusion about the direction our country should take? And I’m sure they must have wondered the same thing about me!
Is it possible to even talk to these people I love about any of this? And how do I find my footing when I feel like the earth beneath my feet is shifting?
A couple of things are helping me process all of this: talking with trusted friends and family; staying informed and active in my community; turning to faith and prayer. It is the third point that I wish to highlight.
Many people of all faith traditions– even people who do not necessarily consider themselves “religious” or spiritual — start their days with a moment of prayer or meditation. An App that I use is called d365. Primarily geared for students, it features commentary on scriptures that I will hear in church the coming Sunday as part of the Common Lectionary.
I am a Christian and a member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in McLean. It is at church in the weeks since the election that I have been inspired and challenged by our Pastor, Sandy Kessinger, who bases her sermons on the scripture passages of the week. Here are a few excerpted/paraphrased nuggets from these sermons, obviously given from the Christian perspective, but which may be of encouragement to people of all faith traditions:
October 27: God is Our Refuge and Strength
What is the meaning of life? It should come as no surprise that my answer is God. At the end of the day, God is the one who gives our lives meaning. We can certainly live our lives apart from God, but it is a much more difficult path to follow.
We live in a world of uncertainty, where troubles seem to surround us from every direction. Psalm 46 offers comfort, encouragement, and a reminder that God is always with us.
If I had to choose my confirmation verse today it would be Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God!” When I have my doubts about the meaning of life and my purpose in this world, it is this verse that brings me back to God. It gives me the deep security I need that an all-powerful God is with me (and for me) no matter what happens in this world or in our lives.
November 10: Her Whole Life
God sees and God cares.
It is good news indeed that God sees our struggles, recognizes our challenges, and cares about us deeply. But even more, God is inviting us to look around and see each other (those in our community and those we do not know). And I mean to really see each other – the pain of those who are discriminated against, the desolation of those who cannot find work, the despair of those who lost hope.
God is inviting us to see them, to care for them, and to advocate for a system that does not leave anybody behind. God cares and God invites us to care as well. God believes that we have something to contribute, that we can make a difference, that our words and actions can help bring more fully into fruition the kingdom of God.
November 17: Do Not Be Led Astray
Time and time again we read in the Bible the words: “Do not be afraid for I am with you.”
Our lessons remind us that we are not alone in our fearful response to what we perceive as frightening and world-altering events in our own time. But then we hear the words of Jesus: “Do not be alarmed. Do not be afraid for I am with you.”
We keep our eyes on Jesus. We stay alert and remain watchful. We are not to let the widows, orphans, and others on the margins suffer. We are not to go off and wring our hands in despair, reacting to every post that crosses our screen. We are to be the people of God and be about the business of God in this world – right here and right now.
Now more than ever we need people to hear the good news and need to help people find communities of faith where they are welcome, where they can come just as they are. Now more than ever we need to sing songs of joy and hope and to act with courage and conviction.
November 24: What is Truth?
What is truth? It is a serious question. Many loud voices are calling us to heed to their “truth” which makes seeking the truth increasingly difficult these days. We try to look to those who are considered to be experts in their field but even then we are apt to receive conflicting results.
We, as Christians, hold certain things to be true and we are not to bend from these truths when challenged. We believe that God created the heavens and the earth and meant it to all be good. We believe that God created us in his image and made us stewards over his creation. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died and rose again to save and redeem us. We believe we are saved by grace through faith and not by the works of the law.
And because we believe these things, it helps us then to make good and right moral decisions: We must love our neighbors.
….Jesus said that he came into this world to witness to the truth, the truth that God is love. So how, then can we reflect that truth to others?
For those who want more than theory today, I offer a practical list:
We are called to value all people. Grounded in God’s love we start by valuing ourselves and seeing ourselves through the lens of God.
We are called to hang out with people who may not sound like us and who may not agree with us. Jesus has a saying that our faith is not characterized by how deeply we love our friends. Our faith is characterized by how deeply we love our enemies.
We are called to remember that truth and love are bound together in hope. We are called to remember to be the church – keep confessing. Stay accountable. Take responsibility. Stop blaming. Keep hoping. Listen, and above all, keep loving. We (and everyone around us) will benefit.
By turning to God, I am beginning to find my footing again after the election. I want to be in relationship with people who voted differently than me, and to have a say in the future direction of our country. I will endeavor in all my interactions to speak truth as I see it in love. I won’t always get it right, but I am grateful for my faith, my church community, and for my extended family of believers at Tysons Interfaith – who inspire me and help me navigate every day.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.