This is the Hour

On Sunday afternoon a note appeared in my inbox from some dear colleagues. Included in their note were the words of a Hopi Elders’ prophecy. Primed by our pondering of Mordecai and Esther’s plight as it relates to the plight of the modern age, their words struck me, providing both challenge and encouragement. A bright splash on an otherwise grey and soggy day! I offer them to you in the same spirit. Ponder them as you go about your day, engage your relationships, and examine your interior in the quiet times:

You have been telling people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered…

Where are you living? What are you doing? What are your relationships? Are you in right relation? Where is your water?

Know your garden. It is time to speak your truth. Create your community. Be good to each other. And do not look outside yourself for your leader.

Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, “This could be a good time! There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.

And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey come to a halt.

The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word ’struggle’ from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

--Hopi Elders' Prophecy, June 8, 2000

When we find ourselves waiting for someone to speak up, waiting for someone to organize support for the things we care about, waiting for a church to help shift attitudes toward religion in our city, waiting for people to resist fear and lean into joy, Esther, Mordecai, and the Hopi Elders remind us:

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
This work is ours to do.
We are called for such a time as this.

Take heart, dear friends. This could be a good time!
Pastor Karyn