I woke up late with a half hour to get ready. I rushed out to the building site and spent three hours laying flooring. My knees were killing me, but I enjoyed the activity after feeling pent up. As I've written before it isn't very safe to go for a walk. We returned to the retreat center for a quick lunch while "street people" knocked on the door for a sandwich. We serve every day for lunch and there is always someone knocking at the door here.
After piling into vans we sped off to Wounded Knee, where Kelly Looking Horse gave a presentation. Some folks are not in favor of white people hanging out at the grave site and fear we might be disrespectful. So we quickly prayed with tobacco, observed the site with honor, and heard the stories told. But not without the police driving by to check it out. No problem, just another day at the rez.
We made it back just in time for children's hour, which was a lively time of about 20 kids. Kelly and Suzie Looking Horse were our guests for supper and talked openly about the economic and social realities around here, as well as dreams for change. We sang songs and learned to dance the round dance, snake dance, veteran's honor dance, and men's sneak up. It was an evening of laughs and silliness. I even yelled out a good "war whoop". Which Kelly teased sounded like a Crow. (haha a few of you will get the joke)
Earlier today I text that my knees hurt and now I'm going to Wounded Knee, which the recipient found quite funny. You know if someone knocks you down at the knees, life can be pretty painful. As I thought about the poverty, the constant door knocking, the inner city environment I'm living in this week I had the image of a person knocked down at the knees limping along life.
It hurt my heart to hear the story of Wounded Knee again. To hear of the mutilation of women, the savage trickery to draw children out of their hiding places and slaughter them, the proud soldiers standing over the dead like a hunter holding the horns of a prize elk. I remembered the story of the survivors who were taken to a Catholic church across town for medical care and mostly died. The massacre was a few days after Christmas and the banner in the church filled with dying elders, women and children read "Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men." The irony of what we proclaim and the sinful horror of what we are capable of doing in one simple image.
A classmate and I got in a discussion about 1st and 2nd use of the law. That's theology stuff. Basically, 1st use of the law if for "civil" or "political" use.The law works to compel civility through legal restraint and the threat of punishment.Basically, it is unlawful to kill, rape, massacre people because it's just not civil and you will be punished. The 2nd use of the law is "theological". The law not only sets up and enforces standards of civility but also accuses those who disobey it and thereby makes offenders aware of their
sin and consequent need for forgiveness. It's wrong to do those things, you're convicted for them, and now are aware of your wrongness. The only path to deal with this awareness is that of repentance and forgiveness. (Thank you Professor David Lose for a great paper on this.) http://www.luthersem.edu/w
What conviction do you feel about the image of dying victims beneath a flapping banner proclaiming peace on earth and good will toward men...women...children? I feel the hopelessness of never attaining justification by the law, because it is in all of us to do harm, break civility, and cause terror. It is also in all of us to live mercy, practice forgiveness, and walk humbly with our God for these are the very things that make us the children of God, images of God, beloved. But I cannot achieve that justification by my own will, by seeking perfection, nor by doing what I think best. Those soldiers were defeating an enemy. Until recently Wounded Knee has been called a battle, not a massacre. It has been recorded as a great win for the US government, though today more of us may say it was a dark day of shame. For years people have thought this event was what was best. Was it? Really? A lot of mistakes have been made, some reconciliation has been attempted, but the path of forgiveness is one of returning and reclaiming honor by those who limp on wounded knees.
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