Reverend Marci Scott-Weis, MDIV

Well friends, we turn to the gift of Water in our natural world for a spiritual lesson. We know that the water around us sustains life as we know it. The same water that God created and then reflected and recognized that it was good! We know that water is sacred and holy.

And we know that the Bible is full of language about water, beginning with the creation of the sea in Genesis and ending with the ‘water of life’ in the Book of Revelations and hitting on that beautiful Psalm that we heard today in-between! We know that water has long been central to the Christian tradition: from baptism to the washing of feet to the work and lifeblood of Jesus’ disciples.  And we know that as Christians, we are called to care for and protect the earth— an earth that is 71 percent water. And we are called to care for all that swims, crawls, and makes its home beneath the surface. Water is sacred. This we know….

And we know that water is synonymous with life. Without water, we can’t survive more than a few days–because we are, like most life on this planet, made up of mostly water. Life began in the element of water–in the primordial seas on this planet 3.8 billion or so years ago. Water is the custodian of life. Nearly all living beings contain large amounts of water in their bodies; water facilitates their functions. It’s the quest for water–and therefore life–that drives much of our space exploration.

But what can water teach us? Well, I’m going to draw upon some recent hiking exploration, this one in the Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Reservation in Northeastern Arizona. These canyons had long been a bucket list destination for Jasper and I and we had the opportunity to hike through them last spring. When you approach them, they are not that impressive but once you climb down into the canyons and see the light filtering through the narrow openings of the canyon walls, beauty unfolds. They were awe-inspiring!

The canyons were formed over millions of years by flash floods that carved through the Navajo sandstone. Water from creeks now part of the Colorado River, created turbulent floods that eroded the rock, while hot, dry periods with sandstorms polished the canyon walls. The slot canyons are an evolving geological formation, with their appearance constantly changing due to the ongoing processes of nature.

The canyons are on Navajo land and the name for the Upper Antelope Canyon where all of the images that you will see today are from, means “the place where water runs through the rocks”.  The canyon holds immense cultural and spiritual significance for the Navajo people, who view it as a sacred site where the physical and spiritual worlds intersect and that it was created as a way of connecting nature and the spirit world. The Navajo people also believe that the canyon is a place of great power, and that it is necessary to approach it with respect and humility. I think Jasper and I would both say that our time in those canyons felt both holy and sacred in the deepest and most meaningful of ways.

The spiritual lessons from the water that carved those sacred canyons are plentiful! So, what can water teach us from within the walls of this holy place, especially at this time?

Geologically speaking, a slot canyon begins as a small crack or fracture in the earth’s surface, that over thousands of years undergoes significant erosion, primarily from water that acts as the primary sculptor of the canyons. But the water that shapes the canyons created their design slowly over time, through persistent and relentless action.

The main method that water sculpted the canyons came in the form of rain that flowed down through the cracks and fissures in the rock and over time deepening those initial cracks, slowly carving the narrow, winding passages of the slot canyons. And when rainfall is sparse, periodic flash floods where the water would quickly accumulate can bring an immense volume of water into the canyon system within minutes, eroding the rock and even further sculpting the slot canyon.

Water shaped the canyons over time through persistent, relentless actions. The water that sculpted these amazing canyons teaches us that being consistent and persevering is critical not only to overcome the rocks in our path but also to create beauty around us. But also sometimes it takes dramatic force to impact and change the barriers that are in front of us. It is a combination of both that persistent and relentless action and dramatic force that that sculpts beauty and that can change the world to live out our call to serve the least, the last and the lost.

Here’s another way that water can teach us how to walk in this world right now. Individual drops of water did not create these canyons. Individual drops of water would have been insignificant in creating the beauty and magnificence of these canyons. These canyons were created by vast quantities of water flowing as rain, seeping into cracks and carving passages. Or as flash floods, ruthlessly and rapidly eroding the rock to sculpt it into the shapes you see behind me. Individual drops of water would have been insignificant in creating these canyons. But…. together all of those raindrops created something majestic, something awe-inspiring, something sacred.

Water teaches us that we are so much stronger and effective in community. We are so much greater when two or more are gathered. When we come together, we can achieve results far beyond what any single person could accomplish alone. We can pool the diverse knowledge, skills, and perspectives often leading to more innovative solutions than those that just one individual could have come up with. A community has a louder and more influential voice than any individual speaking alone. When we speak and act together, we can much more effectively advocate for change and hold decision-makers accountable and pursue solutions focused on peace and justice.

The African proverb, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” perfectly captures this idea. The power of a community doesn’t come from speed, but from its endurance and ability to create lasting change. Just like creating a slot canyon and one rain drop verses deluge of rain, creating change in our world is often way more effect if done as a collective effort than an individual one.

Water has much to teach us, especially in these times when persistent, relentless actions, combined with some occasional dramatic force done in community are so desperately needed to speak up, advocate and protect the least, the last and lost in our country. So may we turn to water and hold the powerful example of those canyons to inspire us to go forth to do the sacred work in community of bringing about God’s kingdom here and now.

Thanks be to Water!

Thanks be to God!

Amen