The Moon and the Stars
Contributed by Stephen Wickman, St. Thomas Episcopal, McLean
I love songs, and the BBC (yes, again) has a neat show called “Inheritance Tracks” that invites celebrities to tell us about one song passed down to them from their parents and one song they want to pass on to future generations. Today Jared Harris – who does look a bit like his more famous father, Richard, and who played General Ulysses S. Grant in “Lincoln” shared that his father had handed down “Fly Me to the Moon” and that Jared wanted to pass on Monty Python’s “Galaxy Song.”
BBC Radio 4 Extra – Inheritance Tracks, Jared Harris
His father sang the Frank Sinatra version all the time, and then Jared’s drama teacher at Duke University said, “Well, you have to listen to Bennett’s version. It’s sublime.” Jared remembers being transported by the “romantic longing.”
Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what’s spring is like
on a Jupiter and Mars
In other words
hold my hand
In other words
baby, kiss me
Fill my heart with song
and let me sing forever more
You are all I long for
all I worship and I adore
In other words
Please, be true
In other words
I love you
Fill my heart with song
let me sing forever more
You are all I long for
all I worship and adore
In other words
Please, be true
In other words
In other words
I love you
Songwriters: Paul David Hewson, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen, Dave Evans, Attrell Stephen Jr. Cordes.
And now for something completely different. (That’s and inside joke for Python fans like me. I grew up watching them on Canadian TV before they aired here.)
At Catholic boarding school, Jared said: “I had that whole doctrine hammered into my head, and I was trying to shake it off me.” But listening to the song as an adult he gained a different perspective: “And you know, you understand that religion and all those things are just early attempts to try and answer the same question, which is that, who are we? Why are we here? How did we get here? Where are we going? There’s never, ever been anybody like you that’s ever been born, and at the same time, we’re just a tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny planet, this incredible thing that’s exploding at the speed of light. It’s amazing. So, remember when you’re feeling very small and insecure, how amazingly unlikely is your birth!”
Whenever life gets you down, Mrs. Brown
And things seem hard or tough
And people are stupid, obnoxious or daft
And you feel that you’ve had quite enough
Just remember that you’re standing on a planet that’s evolving
And revolving at nine hundred miles an hour
It’s orbiting at nineteen miles a second, so it’s reckoned
A sun that is the source of all our power
The sun and you and me and all the stars that we can see
Are moving at a million miles a day
In an outer spiral arm at forty thousand miles an hour
Of the galaxy we call the Milky Way
Our galaxy itself contains a hundred billion stars
It’s a hundred thousand light years side to side
It bulges in the middle sixteen thousand light years thick
But out by us, it’s just three thousand light years wide
We’re thirty thousand light years from galactic central point
We go round every two hundred million years
And our galaxy is only one of millions of billions
In this amazing and expanding universe
The universe itself keeps on expanding and expanding
In all of the directions it can whizz
As fast as it can go – the speed of light, you know
Twelve million miles a minute and that’s the fastest speed there is
So remember when you’re feeling very small and insecure
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there’s intelligent life somewhere up in space
‘Cause there’s bugger all down here on earth
Songwriters: John Du Prez, Eric Idle
For non-commercial use only.
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, Centers for Spiritual Living
Maria Popova declared some time ago, “These days I am less certain I will see the rosy outcome I would like, but I am more determined to meet the future with the best version of myself.”
What if each of us released our attachment to how we want others to be and how we think they ought to be, and consciously showed up as our very best version of ourselves? If all of us were to do that, there would be enough of us that our behavior would “go viral” – be highly contagious – and all manner of challenges would disappear.
In 365 Science of Mind, Dr Holmes is quoted as having said, “New arts, new sciences, new philosophies, better government, and a higher civilization wait on our thoughts. The infinite energy of Life, and the possibility of our future evolution, work through our imagination and will. The time is ready, the place is where we are now, and it is done unto all as they really believe and act.”
Affirming that we really believe Dr Holmes’ statement, and are willing to act on our belief, I pray …
There is only One Indescribable Infinite creating all that is from Its own Divine self. It is the One Life Common to all creation. It is simultaneously the Absolute Creator and Itself as Creation – truly the All-in-All, the All-AS-All. All Creation is sacred. All of us are expressions of the Divine.
It is from this inseparable state of being that I speak my word today. I know this is the time that every person leans-in and expresses their very best version of themselves in every moment. I see all pre-judgments (prejudices) left behind. What remains is all people seeing only God expressing as one another compassionately inviting others to express their best version of themselves. Everyone is now recognizing interconnectedness and interdependence. All relationships are consciously grounded upon loving-kindness and generosity. Peace prevails.
Boundless gratitude arises within me as I embrace the transformative power of prayer.
And so, It is!
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 Stephen Wickman, St. Thomas Episcopal, McLean
As we join our Roman Catholic sisters and brothers to mourn the passing of Pope Francis, let us remember that Francis was the first pope ever to visit the grounds of Southeast Asia’s largest mosque, where he signed a joint declaration together with Muslim leader Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar: Joint Declaration of Istiqlal 2024 — Fostering Religious Harmony for the Sake of Humanity. Named for the mosque, the document addresses the crises of “dehumanization and climate change.”
They noted: “It is particularly worrying that religion is often instrumentalized in this regard, causing suffering to many, especially women, children and the elderly. The role of religion, however, should include promoting and safeguarding the dignity of every human life.”
And they agreed: “ The human exploitation of creation, our common home, has contributed to climate change, leading to various destructive consequences such as natural disasters, global warming and unpredictable weather patterns. This ongoing environmental crisis has become an obstacle to the harmonious coexistence of peoples.”
In response they called for the following:
i. The values shared by our religious traditions should be effectively promoted in order to defeat the culture of violence and indifference afflicting our world. Indeed, religious values should be directed towards promoting a culture of respect, dignity, compassion, reconciliation and fraternal solidarity in order to overcome both dehumanization and environmental destruction.
ii. Religious leaders in particular, inspired by their respective spiritual narratives and traditions, should cooperate in responding to the above-mentioned crises, identifying their causes and taking appropriate action.
iii. Since there is a single global human family, interreligious dialogue ought to be recognised as an effective instrument for resolving local, regional and international conflicts, especially those incited by the abuse of religion. Moreover, our religious beliefs and rituals have a particular capacity to speak to the human heart and thus foster a deeper respect for human dignity.
iv. Acknowledging that a healthy, peaceful and harmonious living environment is vital for becoming true servants of God and custodians of creation, we sincerely call on all people of good will to take decisive action in order to maintain the integrity of the natural environment and its resources, for we have inherited them from past generations and hope to pass them on to our children and grandchildren.
Resquiescat in pace.
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 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: 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 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 Rev. Dr. Trish Hall, Center for Spiritual Living Metro.
2025 is going to be an awesome year! You know how I know that it is and will be, is because we are going to make it so! As Divine Beings expressing as human, we are powerful beyond measure. We have spiritual practices at our disposal – they are there for us to use. We know that we control how we react/respond to circumstances – we are constantly at choice. I choose (and recommend that you do as well) to remain conscious of my thoughts so that I am not swept away by awfulizing and fearmongering.
Every Sunday, we declare:
There is a Power for Good in the Universe that is greater than I am,
and I am using It now!
I am using It to do my part to create a world that works for all.
Together, we inspire individuals to awaken to their own Divinity.
We are here to make a huge difference!
I invite everyone to make this a daily (perhaps multiple times per day) habit to remind ourselves that we are the change-makers. As we sing in Karen Drucker’s song, “I am the heart, I am the hands, I am the voice of Spirit on earth.” We are called to be a stand for the amazing possibilities of 2025!
2025 IS GOING TO BE AN AWESOME YEAR BECAUSE WE ARE MAKING IT SO – STARTING RIGHT NOW!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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.
The following is a synopsis of “A Time To Heal,” an article prepared for Pathways Magazine by Rev. Dr. Trish Hall, Center for Spiritual Living Metro.
It’s time to be gentle with ourselves and others. We have demonstrated resilience coming through the pandemic and the election year. We barely recovered from one cataclysmic siege before being thrust into the into the next iteration. Grief at times like this is natural. Feelings need to be acknowledged, and yet we each have within us greater strength, resilience, flexibility, flow and tenacity than we may have ever imagined.
Knowing that people hold views diametrically opposed to our own may have caused us to question why their views are so different. Very often, because of the fear of volatility, instead of asking and seeking connection, we withdraw and hide from conversations about such topics. It’s time for us to be the initiators of reconciliation conversations.
Simply because someone embraces a different view does not warrant discarding them. There is a lot to learn about why someone holds a view. By sharing, by conversing, we can learn the basis for those opinions. We can meet in a middle ground that includes agreeing to disagree – embracing the healing power of Love. When we are willing to open our hearts and deeply listen, we may find commonalities. When we release our pre-judgments about others and their opinions, we are granted the opportunity to learn. When we learn we expand our capacity to love. We embrace loving kindness so that when we engage in so called difficult conversations, we do so in ways that invite people into conversations.
This may not feel easy. Many things in life that are of the utmost value aren’t easy. They require commitment and trust. They require the commitment of the participants to remember that relationships are far more valuable than opinions. Opinions may or may not change. Ultimate values such as connection far exceed any opinion every embraced.
Now is our time to heal. Now is our time of reconciliation. Now is our time to learn new ways of communicating. Now is our time to build up – to exhibit compassion. This is the time to recognize Oneness.
Here are some questions to ask yourself to become clear about what really matters to you.
- Do you value your relationships or your opinions more?
- Are you okay if no one else shares your opinion?
- Are you okay allowing others to have their own opinions?
- Are you willing to hold your opinion loosely so that you can hear and feel the opinions of others?
- Do you want to be a catalyst – a healing presence in the world?
- Are you willing to listen to others to learn why they think what they think?
- Are you willing to share without trying to convince others?
If your responses to these questions reinforce your priority of relationships over opinions and you are willing to join with others as transformative presences in the world, then begin today. This approach is not for the faint of heart. The attributes of those who are willing include: being “heart centered;” embracing Oneness; being courageous; mediating – being a reconciler.
So, where are you with all of this? Are you committed to doing your part to change the world for good, mending relationships and causing a tsunami of healing ripples across the world? If so, I invite you to come change the world with me!
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.