The Ides of March

In ancient Rome the middle day of March was considered unlucky. We can make it a time for reflection and rational understanding.


Being in the middle isn't always fun.

The Latin word, Ides, means "in the middle of."

The saying, "Beware the Ides of March,"
  simply means to beware of the day
    in the middle of March, that is, the 15th.

In Shakespeare's play, "Julius Caesar",
  the warning was given,
    "Beware the Ides of March!"

Caesar was assassinated on March 15th,
  in the play and in history.

Prior to the assassination of Julius Caesar,
  March 15 was considered an unlucky day.

Afterward, it was considered
  even more unlucky.

The ides of March
  may previously have been considered unlucky
    because it was a day on which
      debts were supposed to be settled.

Every month has "Ides",
  the middle day,
    and the Ides of any month
      may have different meanings
        for different months.

Each week has an "Ides", too, the middle day,
  namely Wednesday,
    also known as humpday,
      since on that day
        we are over the hump of the week,
          so to speak. :-)

The uncomfortable part of being in the middle,
  the part that isn't always fun,
    involves most of all our relationships
      with people we care about.

Sometimes being in the middle
  is simply the natural result of our relationships,
    like being the middle child.

Sometimes being in the middle
  is the result of being inserted into the middle,
    being used as a go-between
      for other people we care about.

The latter case can be most uncomfortable,
  and it can happen because of a kind of abuse.

The abusers use others to do their bidding,
  inserting them between themselves and the people
    they want to influence.

The people who are inserted into the middle
  are sometimes referred to as flying monkeys
    in popular psychology.

It's most helpful to know about flying monkeys
  so that we can beware of them when they appear.

The message to send back to a would-be abuser
  can simply be, "Speak for yourself!"

Flying monkeys are generally sent out as influencers,
  bearing a message against an individual or group.

They are called flying monkeys
  because they are like the ones sent out
    by the Wicked Witch of the West
      in the Wizard of Oz.

She sent them out to do her bidding
  and cause problems
    for the people she perceived as her enemies.

Likewise, abusive people
  may send out flying monkeys
    to cause problems
      by rumor and innuendo
        against the people
          they consider their enemies.

If someone is gossipping about someone else,
  especially if they have no first hand knowledge,
    they may be in danger of being used
      as a flying monkey.

It's worth being careful not to be used
  in such an uncomfortable way!

Empathy and compassion can go a long way,
  both for victims and perpetrators
    in preventing the kind of damage
      people in the middle could cause.

Messengers are not normally necessary
  between people who care about each other.

Of course, as in all things, there are exceptions.

A message sent out of compassion
  and not manipulation can be helpful.

For example, if there is tension between two people,
  a third party can make communication easier.

The most important principle in that case
  would be openness.

Secrecy could make a helper into a flying monkey!

Openness could prevent that from happening.

The simple act of saying, "She asked me to tell you..."
  or "He asked me to say this about you..."
    could make all the difference.

Being a flying monkey
  could not possibly be comfortable
    for anyone concerned,
      especially for the flying monkey,
        the secret messenger.

There are many other ways of being in the middle
  that may make us uncomfortable.

We are at present in the middle
  of a deeply divided political season.

No matter whom we support -
  or used to support -
    in the current election,
      we can easily feel like we are in the middle
        in a most uncomfortable way.

Even if we try not to get into political arguments,
  our feelings can be hurt
    by thoughtless statements from people
      with whom we thought we shared
        our values and principles.

The present political situation is not a crisis,
  but it is uncomfortable for most of us
    in one way or another.

There are at least two crises
  where we are finding ourselves in the middle,

And they could be much worse than uncomfortable: 
  a highly contagious virus
    and climate change.

Those two crises may even be tangentially related.

Climate change is partly caused
  and at least made worse
    by exploding population.

As the population increases more and more rapidly,
  the people on our planet
    are more closely connected.

Events in a small community
  on the other side of the world
    can affect us profoundly
      in our communities
        in the Inland Northwest of the U.S.

As a result,
  a virus that spreads rapidly in China
    is likely to be found in other nations, too,
      including our own.

In this way, we all find ourselves
  in the uncomfortable middle.

So the climate crisis and the virus crisis
  have a common cause:
    the rapidly increasing,
      highly connected population
        of our small planet.

Right now, many of the people among us
  are not feeling very connected at all.

The quarantines and social distancing
  necessary to reduce the contagion
    of a virus that could be dangerous to so many
      are increasing the feelings of isolation
        that many of us are experiencing
          in our daily lives.

I know I'm feeling some of that.

The probability is high
  that your experience of this sermon
    is entirely by reading it
      in one form or another.

That's a strange feeling, for me too!

I much prefer and deeply need face to face contact
  with other human beings
    especially you, my sisters and brothers
      in our beloved community of
        the North Idaho Unitarian Universalists.

At the same time
  I know we all want to protect ourselves
    and each other
      from danger.

It would be a dilemma for us
  if we were unable to sort out our priorities.

Protecting each other
  is much more important
    than meeting our strong need
      for face to face contact.

So we are enduring a period of being apart
  in order to strengthen the hope
    that we may truly protect each other
      from the ravages of a dangerous virus.

Time will tell,
  but it really may turn out to be true
    that we are being each other's best protection.

Most of us are in the more vulnerable part
  of the population;
    I know that is true for me.

I have health factors that make me 
  more vulnerable to the virus
    than the general population.

The Ides of March
  has turned out to be a difficult day for us
    in ways I could never have predicted.

At the same time,
  as I hoped it might be,
    it can be for us a chance to take stock
      and gain some perspective.

We do deeply care about each other.

There are many ways for us to express our caring,
  and there are and will be opportunities
    to be part of each other's lives
      as long as we live.

Amen.
So mote it be.
Blessed be!