I have one graduation gift to offer you.  There is an antidote to the disease of confrontational religious passion and religious failure.  That antidote is . . . generosity.

In the lesson read here today, the God-like person queries:  “Do you begrudge me my generosity?”  Ah, there’s the clue.  The assumption is that the Creator of this universe is generous beyond imagining.  Don’t begrudge, don’t limit, don’t forbid the vast generosity that exists in the center of the universe, and at the core of every molecule, and potentially abides deep within the sacredness of all religions.

Make room, lots of room, intellectual, spiritual, devotional room.  The author of the Universe is generous; why should we buy into a stingy god, a mean, narrow god?  A god who loves some children and intends to destroy other children?  Hold out for the generous god.  How much generosity can you tolerate in God?  The key to standing up to the toxic tyrannies of religions that want to shrink our skulls is to hold on to a muscular, unflappable generosity.  The God-like person queries, “Do you begrudge me my generosity?”  Nor will the wise graduate begrudge her or his own generosity. 

Today I offer my voice in chorus of honor and blessing for all of you graduates.  You are people who have had a generous education.  I hope you will use it extravagantly for the good of all and to add to life’s glorious Divine touch.  Amen.