Awe for River

As part of my reflection on Genesis and Revelation portions we heard, I told a story by Jackie French: Flood. The publishers granted permission for us to hear the story in full, and for that story to remain online for a week. I include a brief precis of the story with the text of the reflection. Here are the details of the book so you can find it in your library or to purchase and read it in full later. Flood. Writer: Jackie French. Illustrator: Bruce Whatley. Scholastic, 2011.

In the Season of Creation, the Church chooses an intentional celebration of life in all its forms – of Life, in which we take our part.

We celebrate our Creator, who invites us to collaborate in creation, creating.

Today, in particular, we give thanks for River, and for the humans who know River well, and how to heed River’s voice. Such as the Lakota in the Dakotas in North America. Their protest Mní wi hóni – Water is life – when water ways were under threat from developers, proclaims the deeply held belief that water is sacred. River, Land, and all creation are relatives to respect and protect.

The Maori people lead the nation of Aotearoa/New Zealand to the affirmation and protection of River’s life, its being. Whanganui River has personhood as the people who know it best remember ‘I am the River, the River is me.’ our mutuality with all that has life.

We acknowledge in this Season of Creation that we have taken the invitation to ‘have dominion over all the Earth’ and overpowered instead of empowering all life into its thriving.

Today we acknowledge that we have not listened to River, or the humans who know River well. In a video released this week, I heard Rev Dr Auntie Denise Champion tell of River near Willochra, not heeded, nor the people who knew this River well. Publicans settling there were frustrated by River’s seasonal flooding into the pub cellar, ruining stock – so they moved River away. Two big tree carcasses stand in the dry earth still, testifying to River’s death as a result. Humans gave River no voice, no say in its life. We do that, don’t we, humans, with ‘others’ we don’t understand ..?

Rev Dr Aunty Denise Champion with a story of River near Willochra. 

Many of our stories celebrate River, Water, as a source of Life. Indeed, Jesus takes that image for himself; standing beside a well, with a woman yearning for life.

River is, in the vision in Revelation, situated in the centre of the gathering place in the New Creation. Source of Life. Feeding the Tree of Life, whose leaves are healing for the nations. River nurtures life; healing; peace.

pause

Until it doesn’t.

For the story of Flood echoes in the shadows behind River’s story. We in Australia know River when they flood, as many peoples and many places know.

and so, a story.

Inspired by the Queensland floods, Flood is a moving and sensitive story of a natural disaster as seen through the honest eyes of a cattle dog that has been separated from his family. The floodwater mercilessly rips through the towns, and finally recedes, leaving a devastating widespread path of destruction. 

But from the ruins, courage and kindness emerge. A tiny tugboat heroically guides a wayward boardwalk out to sea; rescuers pluck friends and strangers from the dangerous waters; communities gather, providing aid, shelter, comfort and — above all — hope.

From the website of Jackie French. 

We hear the end of the story of the Flood Noah and his family endured today: the promise of peace for all Creation from Creator.

the promise of peace

and yet

River still floods

River still dies

Where is peace for River?

Where is hope for us, with River, with Water?

Perhaps we might find it in awe.

When have you felt awe lately? In a story of the power of water bursting a river’s banks? In the abounding of new green in the garden? In a rainbow, sunshine against a grey cloud?

Awe makes us feel our smallness in response to something deep and broad and vast in its beauty or scale. Awe, we forget, can bring us comfort, through that remembering of both our smallness, and our connection to the vast. For awe changes our view of ourself, and somehow turns us towards each other. Awe quietens the self-interested part of ourselves so that we can make room for the other, to welcome, to embrace the other, which is ultimately, part of ourselves, too, as we are part of all that lives.

When the self-interest vanishes, we no longer seek power over, but power with – for we understand that we are not all or only, but we are part, and part of each other.

Awe connects us to the Sacred, the Mystery: to Life.

(With thanks to awe-hunter Julia Baird for her thoughts on awe and wonder. Phospherescence; Compass ‘Awe Hunters’)

There are different qualities of awe.

The awe we feel at Niagara or Victoria Falls – and knowing if we respond without care to River here it is not River who may perish, but it is us. Even so, River here has its borders, its limits which River respects, and so do we.

There is the awe at River swelling uncontainable beyond its banks and into our sphere with force and danger; with little choice for other beings – even for River itself – but to endure this Flood. Responding to River in flood with care is to be careful for ourselves; to care for and protect or rescue what life we can; to care in the aftermath with clean up, with grieving, forgiving, and rebuilding.

And there is the awe at this small River, its profound simplicity as it flows and flows and bubbles and burbles with life; enriching life within it and along its banks for all who welcome the invitation into life and nurture – and what healing may grow then?

Awe.

is why the church has a Season of Creation.

to cultivate awe.

and awe cultivates gratitude.

evokes care.

care for ourselves in response to River’s power

and care of ourselves in using our own power

awe evokes care, in collaboration with Creator, before whom we stand with our deepest awe

Creator, who endures the dangers with us, the floods and the droughts, the consequences and the gifts, and promises peace will come again

Awe for the River and its Source – a posture for care, for life. Amen.

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