From the Four Winds

‘But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; someone on the housetop must not go down or enter the house to take anything away; someone in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter. For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. And if anyone says to you at that time, “Look! Here is the Messiah!” or “Look! There he is!”—do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything. ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. Mark 13:14-27

I have spent my ordained career helping support Indigenous ministries across our church and beyond. For many of our tribes the medicine wheel, or medicine circle, represents the four winds and the four directions. Each brings their gifts and when together there is balance and harmony. The circle or hoop is broken when we hold back our gifts and fail to come together. We humans know the ache of broken relations and that incomplete feeling when families and communities are torn asunder. We live in a very fractured world. Our Gospel reminds us that the gathering work is always our Creator and Jesus. May we be agents of healing and mending now.

Gracious Creator, you designed our world

with numerous colors and many seasons

you made people fo many tribes and cultures

and you call us all together from the four winds.

You have made us family yet we divide up

we judge and criticize those who are different

we put up walls and barriers to keep strangers our

despite the fact we are not whole without them.

Help us to mend the broken sacred circles

give us your strength to reach out and to heal

make us your disciples again so we might see

the gathering circle of love made whole and complete. Amen.