Good morning
everyone
Thank you for
coming to attend our end of the year Dharma school and Sunday service this
morning.
Last Sunday, the Shinfuku family asked Michi and I
to go to the Kings game. It was the
Kings vs. the Atlanta Hawks. We were
pleased to see the game. And fortunately, although since December 1st,
Kings lost 5 games the Kings won,. Maybe it is because of we went to see
the game, they won.
Although we have no Sunday service next
Sunday, we will have the New Year’s eve Joya-e service on December 31 from 7 PM. Have you started to plan for Christmas
and New Year’s Osechi food? I have a plan to go someplace very
romantic for Christmas…
Although we are no longer newlyweds, Michi and I still enjoy our daily lives as newlyweds…
“Boo Hoo Boo Hoo…”
“Oh, someone is
crying although pretty soon we have great holidays to enjoy…”
“Boo Hoo Boo Hoo…”
“Who’s crying?”
“That’s me.”
“Aren’t you our
service book?”
“Yes, I am one of
the Betsuin service book.”
“What is a matter
with you?”
“Oh, please listen. A part of my body has been torn…”
“Oh, no… How did this happen to you?”
“Someone used me
roughly… My body is made by
paper. So, it is easy to tear or
break.”
“Oh, I see. Does anyone help to fix your body?”
“Once a while, BWA / Fujinkai members checks all
the service books here in the Hondo.
They say that some books they are able to
fix and some others are beyond repair…”
“So… what happen
will happen to you.”
“BWA ladies said
that they are unable to fix me… But
I heard that you are a great at crafts and you even made your wife’s wedding
dress… So, I thought maybe you may
be able to fix my torn pages.”
“I don’t think I
am that good at crafting things.
But, I have some special glues, so maybe I can
fix your body.”
“Oh, please, Rev. Kaz… I do not
want to jump into the recycle box yet…
I am only 6 years old. I
want to be with all of our members here as long as I can… Although I know one of our Dharma truth tells us that everything is impermanent, can you help
me?”
“Let’s see… I have now fixed 8 service books that
were considered beyond repair… But,
you know, it is not good enough just to fix them. We must remember that one of another our essential
Dharma truth is that everything is a part of a great oneness.”
“Why should we remember
that?”
“Well… We often
make distinctions for everything… we say this is mine or this is not mine… We really take care of our own stuff, but
not that of others.”
“What do you mean
by that?”
“I will give you an
example… we try to keep our own bathroom in our home clean, but what about a
public bath room?
“Some of public
bath rooms are very dirty… But, I
have never seen that someone’s home bathrooms are so dirty.”
“See. When we think that something is not our
own stuff, we may easily use it roughly or treat it poorly… These books were donated to our Betsuin only
5 years ago. But we are fixing over
40 books every year. 40 books are
almost 10% of the books that are in this Hondo…”
“Oh, I had no idea
that many books are fixed each year!”
“When we realize
that everything is a part of oneness, we try to take care of everything with a heart
of gratitude. And I can say that…
taking care of something very much is same as taking care of themselves
very much… That is we call Nenbutsu way. So,
when you see a fixed service book, please take care of it even more gently.”
“Ok, I will.”
“And please
remember that when you find torn or broken service books, let me know.
“OK.”
“Well… my time is
over. Now it is time to say
Sayonara Minasan until the next service.”
“When is the next
service?
“It is our Joya-e service on December 31 from 7 PM.”
“Could you fix me
by that time? Then I can be at the
service with everyone here.”
“OK, I will try.”
“I hope to see
everyone at the Joya-e service and we hope everyone
has a great holiday!”
In Gassho
When we realize
that everything is a part of the great oneness of life, we really take care of
everything in our lives with a heart of gratitude. Taking care of something very much is
same as taking care of ourselves very much… That is the Nenbutsu
way. Let us walk the wonderful Nenbutsu way together…