Longing for a Savior (Or: "What? There Ain't No Sanity Clause?")

Humanity longs for saviors. Pacific Islanders believe that a great ship will arrive to transport the tribe into heaven. Muslims await the return of the revered Mahdi to herald the final days. Buddhists believe that Maitreya will deliver all beings from ignorance. Native Americans believe that the White Buffalo will signal a restoration of ancestral lands.  For whom might Unitarian Universalists be longing – if anyone?  How might we recognize such a person?   Some reflections on messianic hopes, and the Marx brothers’ quip about sanity clauses, as the ministerial search process moves into high gear.