Mother Teresa once said, "In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." I believe that implicit in her message is that together, combining our "small things" over time, we can indeed do great things. I believe that this is the message of Yes we can.
In his inauguration speech, President Obama said: "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task."
I am inspired by our new president in a way I have not been inspired by a political leader in my adult life - inspired to renew my intention to do "small things with great love," and to see those small things as part of a greater whole.
I am also inspired to take seriously this notion of responsibility at the local level, and use it to transform and grow this congregation. With all that needs fixing in this broken world, I believe that we have a real opportunity to create something unique and powerful right here. Why? Because this congregation can be a focal point for doing small things with great love. Because more than ever we need one another. Because more than ever in this society there is a need for meaningful connection and spiritual support. And because Jews have an obligation to keep learning and growing their whole lives, in community.
Obama is right-on when he says "there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task." There is much work to be done to transform this congregation, and I have faith that we are up to the task, and that the task will transform us in the process in ways that we cannot imagine. Yes we can. Kein y'hi ratson, so may it be.
In his inauguration speech, President Obama said: "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task."
I am inspired by our new president in a way I have not been inspired by a political leader in my adult life - inspired to renew my intention to do "small things with great love," and to see those small things as part of a greater whole.
I am also inspired to take seriously this notion of responsibility at the local level, and use it to transform and grow this congregation. With all that needs fixing in this broken world, I believe that we have a real opportunity to create something unique and powerful right here. Why? Because this congregation can be a focal point for doing small things with great love. Because more than ever we need one another. Because more than ever in this society there is a need for meaningful connection and spiritual support. And because Jews have an obligation to keep learning and growing their whole lives, in community.
Obama is right-on when he says "there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task." There is much work to be done to transform this congregation, and I have faith that we are up to the task, and that the task will transform us in the process in ways that we cannot imagine. Yes we can. Kein y'hi ratson, so may it be.