June 2011
Footprints for the Journey
Reflecting on Amos 5:22-24, Luke 9:18-24 “A New Path to the Waterfall”
God began creating, brooding over water, gathering water from the rest.
Where water meets with other water; fresh water here, salty water there, Separating dryness and wetness, resurrecting dryness. Rising.
Water the great leveler. Let justice flow down like water. For justice we pray beside still waters, for justice we pray beside lakes & rivers & baptismal fonts. Let justice flow like water. Our salty tears met by fresh living water pouring from the fount of God’s deep mercy. Let justice flow like water.
The day is surely coming, when God “will pour out a spirit of compassion & supplication on the house of David”, when the Messiah will ask you: “Who do you say I am? Will you save your life or will you lose it?”
The world filled with suffering and injustice fills us with sorrow. The pain in our hearts fills our eyes. For all the dreams dashed and splashed, tears of deep sorrow flow; for all the dances turned into mourning, the songs turned to dust in our mouths; as the exiles wept, so will we weep. Will you remember how far you wandered from the source of your life? Will you weep for your God, who showed you nothing but agape/steadfast love & compassion? Will you weep for the pierced one, the one sent from God to wake you up, the one who calls to you even now, come home, all you who are weary, come home. Let justice flow like water.
Yet even while you weep, your God will turn you toward the new day; the new path; you will know mercy/justice flowing like a river into the sea of your sorrows, water, the water will cleanse & heal you, & your families, & your land & your people, even those you reject. The Messiah comes. Resurrection happens.
“Who do you say I am?” the ?/answer is not what we expect, we hoped for a messiah who would pull us out of the muck, a messiah who would save us from the whole mess of being human. What we get is a new path to the same waterfall, God’s waterfall. We get a messiah who lived a new path to the same waterfall.
Do you not perceive it? Will you not receive it? Resurrection meets suffering & death. Life, full & complete. “ If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves & take up their cross daily & follow me.” Do you not perceive it? Will you not receive it?
Walk the new path to the waterfall. Feel God’s water fall upon your face, your body, your life. Your tears meet with the living water of grace healing is yours.
Jesus asks: “Who do you say that I am?” I say: You are the messiah, you are the new path to the waterfall of God.