BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.2.1//EN TZID:America/Los_Angeles X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:VEVENT UID:17219@uucpa.org DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260506T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260506T130000 DTSTAMP:20260502T183353Z URL:https://www.uucpa.org/events/resonant-reading-wednesday-2026-05-06/ SUMMARY:Resonant Reading (Wednesday)-Two readings from Les Miserable—Hugo DESCRIPTION:Resonant Reading (Wednesday)-Two readings from Les Miserable— Hugo An exploration of ideas\, feelings\, and our life experiences\, usin g a different short reading as our springboard each time. The sessions are on Saturdays\, 4-5\, and on Wednesdays\, 12-1. All are wide open and you are welcome to come twice a week or once in a while.\n\nThe participants o ver the years have found that the approach we take\, and the respectful\, affectionate community of inquirers in which we read and converse\, are as important as the reading itself. While many small groups begin with a che ck-in\, with a session only an hour long\, Resonant Reading jumps right in to the conversation. Those who are frequently in the group get to know ea ch other very well this way\, and those who are new will soon find they ar e among friends.\n\n\n\nFacilitators use a light hand\, posting the readin g in the chat and calling on whoever's Zoom hand is up. Suggestions for re adings* come from group members\, who also take turns facilitating\, if th ey want to try that role.\n\nThe reading for this session: Wednesday\, May 6\n\n\nWednesday\, May 6th\n\n#1\nIn this nineteenth century\, the religi ous idea is undergoing a crisis.\nPeople are unlearning certain things\, a nd they do well\, provided that\,\nwhile unlearning them they learn this: There is no vacuum in the human\nheart. Certain demolitions take place\, a nd it is well that they do\, but\non condition that they are followed by r econstructions.\n\nIn the meantime\, let us study things which are no more . It is necessary\nto know them\, if only for the purpose of avoiding them . The\ncounterfeits of the past assume false names\, and gladly call thems elves\nthe future. This spectre\, this past\, is given to falsifying its o wn\npassport. Let us inform ourselves of the trap. Let us be on our guard. \nThe past has a visage\, superstition\, and a mask\, hypocrisy. Let us\nd enounce the visage and let us tear off the mask.\n\nAs for convents\, they present a complex problem\,—a question of\ncivilization\, which condemn s them\; a question of liberty\, which\nprotects them.\n\n#2\nIs there an infinite beyond us? Is that infinite there\, inherent\,\npermanent\; neces sarily substantial\, since it is infinite\; and because\,\nif it lacked ma tter it would be bounded\; necessarily intelligent\, since\nit is infinite \, and because\, if it lacked intelligence\, it would end\nthere? Does thi s infinite awaken in us the idea of essence\, while we\ncan attribute to o urselves only the idea of existence? In other terms\,\nis it not the absol ute\, of which we are only the relative?\n\nAt the same time that there is an infinite without us\, is there not an\ninfinite within us? Are not the se two infinites (what an alarming\nplural!) superposed\, the one upon the other? Is not this second\ninfinite\, so to speak\, subjacent to the firs t? Is it not the latter’s\nmirror\, reflection\, echo\, an abyss which i s concentric with another\nabyss? Is this second infinity intelligent also ? Does it think? Does it\nlove? Does it will? If these two infinities are intelligent\, each of\nthem has a will principle\, and there is an _I_ in the upper infinity as\nthere is an _I_ in the lower infinity. The _I_ belo w is the soul\; the\n_I_ on high is God.\n\nTo place the infinity here bel ow in contact\, by the medium of thought\,\nwith the infinity on high\, is called praying.\n\n—Two readings from Les Miserables\, Book Seventh—P arenthesis\, Victor Hugo\n\nHow to join:\n\n\n\n Join this class from you r Web browser: https://zoom.us/j/96865808923\, passcode 227385\n Join thi s class using the Zoom app: Meeting ID: 968 6580 8923\n Join this class b y phone: 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 968 6580 8923\n Join this class by one-tap on mobile phones: 6699006833\,\,96865808923#  (San Jose )\n Phoning in\, but not in the Bay Area?  Find your local number: https ://zoom.us/u/abL8clvIYT\n\nThis is the Zoom link for Wednesdays. For the Z oom link for Saturday\, go to Calendar and click on a Saturday session.\n\ n\nQuestions? Drop an e-mail to resonant-reading+owner@uucpa.org.\n\n\n&nb sp\;\n\n*This activity was formerly called "Sacred Text Reading." That pro ved misleading--for one thing\, more often than not our sources are secula r--but it's worth describing the qualities of a sacred text\, which we sti ll look for in the readings we choose. It is any reading that helps us to: \n\n connect to something of supreme importance to us\n feel more connec ted to other beings or to the universe\n feel more intensely alive\n ali gn our lives with our values\,\n perceive or feel more deeply\n be more fully and authentically ourselves.\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.uucpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09 /Resonant-Reading.png CATEGORIES:Adult,Learning,Ongoing Events,Small Groups END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR