A reflection for the National Aboriginal Day of Prayer
In our tradition there are 3 basic creation stories.
There is the transcendent story of the creation of the universe; the whole 6 days story at Genesis 1:1-2:4a. There is also the immanent story from Genesis 2:4b- 2:25 where we meet the first humans and God is very present, walking in the garden. The third creation story is the Gospel reading we heard this evening;
“In the beginning was the Word.”
In the beginning, “wisdom”,
In the beginning “creativity.”
This third story brings “wisdom” into flesh. Now this wisdom; Sophia, Logos, Ruach, the Breath of Life is what the Creator breathes into the first human in that second story. As Christians we believe that we all have this wisdom, this breath of life, this creativity, modeled most perfectly by wisdom, creativity, what we call the Christ, filling a young man named Jesus. In Jesus, the Wisdom became Flesh completely.
On this day in the church we reach deep into this wisdom, this Christ within each of us; indigenous or settler, as we seek new ways to live together. After years of violence, after years of pain and suffering wrought by settlers on First Nations, the TRC and others, offer a glimpse of a renewed creation. A creation where justice reigns, where you are valued simply because you exist. A world where our baptismal covenant to seek and serve Christ in all persons is sung, drummed, danced and lived across all peoples and the planet.
As we close our #22 Days of Reconciliation as country, I believe what’s next is how individually and in small groups you and I will move forward with reconciliation. To move forward, we need to dig deep into the Christ within to find forgiveness, to find love. To find the Christ within each other.
I’d like to close with the words of Bishop Melissa Skelton, reacting to the deaths in Charleston this past week. She said, “the horrendous shootings at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, fill all of us with shock, sorrow and outrage. Happenings like this occur far too often, leaving us speechless in the face of what appear to be acts of hatred against the innocent. But we cannot remain speechless for long. This act of violence is a sad and powerful reminder that racism does not stay put, but can and does have catastrophic consequences.
Please pray for those who were affected by this tragedy, especially those who died—for
Cynthia Hurd
Susie Jackson
Ethel Lance
DePayne Middleton-Doctor
Clementa Pinckney
Tywanza Sanders
Daniel Simmons
Sharonda Singleton
Myra Thompson
Please pray, and join with me in recommitting ourselves to stand against racism close to home or in any form it may take here in our own country”
In the face of such violence, both in Charleston and in our own country’s history, I’m wondering: what is Christ calling for inside of you?
