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| Image by Sigourd Rage |
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A GREETING
My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
(Psalm 49:3)
A READING
As for me, I was like a canal from a river,
like a water channel into a garden.
I said, ‘I will water my garden
and drench my flower-beds.’
And lo, my canal became a river,
and my river a sea.
I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn,
and I will make it clear from far away.
I will again pour out teaching like prophecy,
and leave it to all future generations.
Observe that I have not laboured for myself alone,
but for all who seek wisdom.
(Sirach 24:30-34)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold.
(Proverbs 8:10)
A POEM
You can see them in winter,
each breath making a cloud as it hits the cold
so that it is visible, seems alive,
and you watch a poem form and disappear,
or is it a prayer?
In the summer you also breathe.
You cannot see your breath,
but you know it is there,
can remember what it looked like
enough to believe.
- "Breath," by Innunquaq Larsen
VERSE OF THE DAY
For wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
(Proverbs 2:10)
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| Image by Nigel Blandford |
On January 6th, we will acknowledge the Feast of Epiphany and remember the Wise Ones who traveled far and risked their lives to pay their respects to Jesus. Their prophetic vision echoes those of the prophets of the Hebrew Bible. In our own world, who would those Wise Ones be today? In these last days of our devotions, we turn to Indigenous wisdom, knowledge and earth keepers to help us conclude our journey of understanding botanical endurance and seed preservation. How can we reconsider the symbolic gifts of the Magi to focus more on their value as wise elders?
In today's reading, Sirach speaks of Wisdom, a biblical persona who has profound interconnectedness with the Creator. Wisdom is sometimes called Sophia, and has also been associated with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is the most attainable virtue in the ancient world, who appears to know how to embody lived experience alongside a timeless ethic of goodness and righteousness.
How do we embody Wisdom in our own time?
Earlier this year, two climate change researchers, Brian Buma and Jeff Kerby, accompanied by Inuit Greenlandic archeologist and cultural educator Aka Simonsen journeyed up to Qeqertaat, or Kaffeklubben Island, Greenland, the most northerly point of land before it turns into sea ice. They were looking for the world's northernmost plant. Technically, a common species of moss was the most northern, but twenty inches away was a clump of Arctic poppies. These hardy flowers are equipped to survive the harsh weather through black hairs which retain heat, and cup-shaped flowers that hold the air long enough to warm it and attract pollinators. They also have some toxicity to prevent animals from eating them. Perhaps their most remarkable feature is their heliotropism: the ability to turn their faces to follow the sun throughout the day. In the months of the midnight sun, this means they are always turning, never at rest. The additional heat incubates the plant seeds in the flower's ovaries. (Source) (Read about the expedition to observe these flowers. Note, you may need to create a free account with National Geographic.)
What would it be like if we could always turn ourselves to be oriented towards God -- instead of towards all that distracts us? How can we model our lives to more closely embody God's grace?
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A STORY OF HOPE
This video produced by Students on Ice, an annual exploratory expedition for youth to investigate the Arctic, describes the value of having had Inuit elders as teachers. How can we encourage among our communities a deeper respect for the wisdom of Indigenous Knowledge Keepers?
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LC† Seeds of Hope is a project of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook, and on Twitter. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!