Sunday, December 19, 2021, Advent 4 |
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ILLUSTRATION BY ARTA SKUJA |
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READ Luke 2: 6-7 While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. She gave birth to her first son. There were no rooms left in the inn. So she wrapped the baby with clothes and laid him in a box where animals are fed.
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REFLECT with José Zárate, PWRDF Indigenous and Latin American Development Program Coordinator
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José Zárate is the Coordinator of PWRDF Indigenous Communities and Latin America-Caribbean Development Program. A Quechua from Peru, José has been involved in designing, managing, monitoring and evaluating community projects for over 40 years in Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. José was adopted by and is a proud member of the Nisga’a Nation, House of the Killer Whale Clan and presented with an Eagle Feather by the Mi’kmaq Nation of Nova Scotia in 2009 denoting gratitude, love and ultimate respect. José has worked with The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund since 1996 and more than 25 projects and programs have been designed and implemented successfully by Indigenous partners, NGOs and community-based organizations with funding support from PWRDF. |
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The PWRDF Indigenous Program has been promoting partnerships for over 25 years based on recognition, respect and support for the rights and wellbeing of the Indigenous partners. For Indigenous peoples in Canada, their Indigenous languages represent a significant part of the culture, identity and general wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities. Loss of Indigenous language was greatly accelerated by the Canadian government’s implementation of the residential school system from 1879 to 1986, which aimed to systemically eradicate Indigenous languages, cultures, religions, identity, and communities.
With support from PWRDF, the Tlicho Nation in Northwest Territories, has revived and secured the ancestral tradition of taking young people on the land to learn names of plants, medicines, the weather, characteristics of animals and fish, and visit ancestors’ graves on traditional burial sites and recover songs and ceremonies from the past. Also, many of the 14 Nuu-chah-nulth (NCN) communities in British Columbia have initiated language immersion camps and resource development projects, such as dictionaries, apps, websites, books, and inclusion of traditional and cultural learning activities in schools.
In Alberta, First Nations colleges have revitalized and maintained Siksika (Blackfoot) languages by digitizing materials to document, preserve, revitalize, and transmit Siksika knowledge. Lastly, the Kahnawàke Mohawk community in Quebec is carrying out language and cultural activities for the benefit of their children, youth, and the wider community. One creative and innovative program is a puppet show, which has contributed to increasing skills and abilities, as well as fostering oral proficiency and literary abilities in the Mohawk language, among children ages six years and under, as well as for adult learners.
It is inspiring and motivating to witness the determination among Indigenous partners in moving forward with clarity, vision and wisdom to strengthen, restore and preserve their Indigenous languages and to reclaim the Word, to share the Word with Truth, the Truth that will prevail for generations to come.
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MEDITATE with The Rev’d Cheryl Barker, Rector of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Caledonia in the Diocese of Niagara.
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PREPARING TO MEDITATE
Each Sunday you will find a text to guide you through a meditation on the scripture and reflection provided. You can also listen to the meditation by clicking on the links provided. Find a comfortable place to sit. Take a moment to focus on your sit bones so they are even on each side. Lengthen your spine so it is tall and proud. Roll your shoulders back to open up your chest. Take a deep breath in and slowly let it out. Let your hands settle into your lap, palms facing upwards. Continue breathing in through your nose for a count of four and let it out through your mouth for a count of four. As you continue to breathe allow your body to relax and sink into the place you are sitting.
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We are going to focus on our throat in this meditation and the line of communication that goes from your throat to your head and back. Gently place your hands at the base of your throat. Continue to breathe, visualize times where you have found it hard to find your voice, where it has felt like you have a frog in your throat.
Notice what it looks like when you feel this way. Now invite the frog to come sit before you. Let yourself feel all the feelings you feel when you have a hard time finding your voice. Pause.
Tell that frog how you feel. If you feel scared, tell it that, and if you feel angry tell it that. Take a few moments to do this. Pause.
Visualize a stream of energy coming out of your throat and into the frog. It is a vibrant energy. Full of light and colour. You might even hear the energy moving. Feel the energy returning to you a different colour. See this exchange go back and forth. Pause.
Now having renewed your energy and the frog’s energy, I want you to visualize the frog hopping away. See it moving away hopping and jumping. Take a moment to see that. Pause.
With this renewed energy experience your throat clear. Your voice strong. Place your hands at the base of your throat one on top of the other. Feel that your throat is clear and simply breathe. With your eyes still closed and your hands still on the base of your throat look gently up to the left corner of the room you are in. Feel a gentle stretch in your neck and throat. Take a couple of breaths here. Now look gently up to the right corner of the room. Gently take a couple of breaths. Bring your head back to the centre.
Thank yourself for the good work of finding your voice.
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After meditation questions:
- What did you see and feel when the energy was travelling to the frog?
- What did your frog look like?
- What do you want to use your voice for?
MINDFULNESS MOMENT
Do you have a nativity set? If you don’t you can make your own, using anything you have. Have something that represents Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. Some nativities have other parts representing shepherds, the Wise Kings, and animals. Add whatever you like. If you already have a nativity, just take a moment to look at it. Now make your nativity come alive. Consider adding something to it. What could you bring from your home or from outside to make it come alive? Some ideas might be real hay, flowers (real or artificial), glitter (to represent the Holy Spirit), stones, or something that is special to you. What matters the most about adding something to the nativity or creating your own is that you are a part of the Christmas story. Jesus is alive in you. Your voice and truth matter.
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Illustration by Arta Skuja
Arta Skuja is a Latvian artist (MA from The Art Academy of Latvia), a pilgrim on the road and also someone who knows a thing or two about Canada. For several years she lived, made friends and created art in a L’Arche community in Nova Scotia. Arta lives a contemplative life in the countryside, grows her own food and works in textile design, printmaking and contemporary Christian iconography.
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Next Up:
The Rev. Cheryl Kukurudz
on "Interpreting Truth"
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