John 3 and Big Bear

The gospel reading for the day was John 3:16-21, “for God so loved the “land” he gave his only son…

It is a great passage that reminds me that Creator cares about all his creation, and that through Jesus Christ he wants to heal the land, and all who are in it. I think we all want that to, but there are so many different opinions about how that should workout. Healing is what we need, but so many of our good intentions are not always a safeguard from the pain in our soul.

I am going to Thunder Bay to speak this weekend. People want to talk about walking together with Indigenous people. As I thought about it, I remember the speech of Big Bear. A great Chief who was wrongfully convicted for crimes he tried to prevent. Yet, when given the chance, he gave a speech. I searched the Internet and found a version and put it below.

Big Bear’s Courtroom Speech – translated from Cree

I ruled my country for long. Now I am in chains and will be sent to prison. Now I am as dead to my people. Many of them are hiding in the woods.... Can this court not send them a pardon?

My own children may be starving and afraid to come out of hiding. I plead to you Chiefs of the white man’s laws for pity and help for the people of my band.

The country belonged to me. I may not live to see it again . . . Because Big Bear has always been a friend to the white man, you should now send a pardon to my people and give them help.

People want to help us Indigenous people, but they don’t understand that they want to help us be who they think we should be. No one can make someone into another person, we can only be who we were made to be. Many of our people are hiding … because of the trauma and mistreatment. They want to hear a pardon and be told it is okay to live free and be who they were made to be…

Even now the land reaches out to try and care for our people, but they have been driven away for so long, how do you come back…

I read the gospel of the day, Creator gave his son… we have to love in a way that people can feel that … that is the way that Creator has loved us…