SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2025 - A STORY OF HUMILITY AND WISDOM
March 2, 2025
Deborah Laforet
Let us pray. May the words from my lips and the meditations of my heart be guided by
your Spirit and be words of wisdom for this day. Amen.
Go over the Seven Grandfather Teachings: Respect, Courage, Love, Truth, & Honesty.
Humility and Wisdom for today.
Today, I have a story to share with you. On December 1, 2011, I was given the honour of
being part of an event with the Star Blanket First Nations in Lebret, Saskatchewan. At the time I
was the President of the United Church Conference in Saskatchewan and had been invited to this
event as a representative of the United Church. I was there to offer the apology that was written
and given by the United Church first in 1986, which addressed the imposition of European
culture and religion without any respect for the language, culture, and spirituality of the first
peoples, and then in 1998, which specifically apologized to former students of residential schools
and their families and communities. It’s a day that had stayed firm in my memory, and I’d like to
share this experience with you.
First of all, I was very nervous. I knew the importance of this day for many residential
school survivors and I had no idea what to expect. I was also representing a church that had been
a part of the abuses of these schools, so I wasn’t quite sure what kind of reception I would get.
The event was held at a community centre. I arrived early as I was told there would be
events throughout the day. I was relieved to see some familiar faces from within the church and
felt a little more grounded. I was wearing a long skirt, as I was told this was appropriate for
women to wear during indigenous ceremonies.
One of the activities for the day, to which we were all invited, was a sweat. We were
given directions and I got in my car and headed out, not knowing that I would be the only white
person to attend. At first, I thought I had heard wrong and that maybe I hadn’t really been
invited, but no. All had been invited; I had just been the only white person to accept the
invitation! I can tell you about the sweat another time. It was quite the experience, but it was
noted later that only one settler person had joined them for this sacred time.
After the sweat and back at the community centre, there was a grand entry. These events
tended to start in this way, with important figures entering the space, following drums and
singing. I was astonished to find out that I would be a part of this grand entry, and then sitting at
the head table in front of the stage. All the ministers were invited to join, but, as the one
representing the United Church that day, I was the one sitting at the head table. I was really
feeling out of my depth.
Luckily, I was seated next to a person who was quite the talker. Unfortunately, I don’t
remember his name anymore. I didn’t recognize it at the time, but found out later he was a well-
known Metis performer. He kept me laughing and talking, for which I was very grateful.
As we talked though, I learned a valuable bit of information. He told me that many white
people come to these events, and they bring their notes, and they read from them. He told me
their words never feel like they are truly authentic. If you have to read from prepared notes, then
it’s not coming from the heart.
Now, I don’t know how well you know this yet, but I always come prepared with notes! I
take time to process what I’m going to say, especially when I’m speaking in front of a lot of
people. My nervous mind often goes blank if I’m not prepared with notes.
So, I began to panic a little. What was I going to say? Do I read my prepared statement
anyway, disregarding what I had just been told? What if I got up there without notes and froze,
stumbling over my words? When it was my turn to speak, I decided to leave my notes behind.
When I got up there, I very honestly said that I had prepared notes, but had decided not to
read them upon the advice of this new friend I had made. I explained that I was from the United
Church and that I was there to offer to them two formal apologies. I told them that I was not
much of a public speaker, and that I had just been told a very funny joke by this new friend, and
that I would share it, but I can never remember anything except for the punch line. Then, I
realized my new friend was standing behind me. He then proceeded to tell me the joke, line by
line, so that I could then share the joke with the audience. And no, before you ask, I don’t
remember the joke anymore. There was lots of laughter, not only at the joke, but at the way the
two of shared it. I then shared the two formal apologies and I sat down with a big sigh of relief
and a lot of gratitude to that person sitting next to me.
One of our words this morning is humility, and that day in Lebret, Saskatchewan, was all
about humility: entering into a space that was completely foreign to me, accepting an invitation
to participate in a traditional sweat, leaning on others to guide me, being part of a grand entry
that felt very uncomfortable, and then leaving my prepared notes behind because I was told it
would not appear authentic to those to whom I was offering an apology.
It can be a humbling experience to participate in an event that is out of one’s comfort
zone, unfamiliar and potentially hostile. What I have learned is that it’s helpful to step back, and
observe and learn, without bringing your own expectations and biases. When I enter a space that
is very different from my own, I take a deep breath, and try to see it as a gift, as a learning
opportunity, as an opportunity to create new relationships, honouring the differences between us
and finding common ground, trying not to impose my own way or feeling my way is superior or
better. Some might call that wisdom, our seventh and last Grandfather teaching.
On that day, I was given a plaque. Now technically, as the President of Saskatchewan
Conference, representing the United Church, maybe this gift was meant for the Conference
office, but I saw it as a gift for me. It’s hanging in my office, and I’ve taken a picture for you. It
reminds me of this special time and those unique experiences, while at the same time, reminding
me of past harms perpetrated by the church.
Canada is a nation that has been held up as a peacekeeping nation, as a nation that
supported allies during the world wars, as a nation with health care for all, a welcoming place to
all, and, just, in general, a nice place with nice people. Canada can be all that, and we can be
proud of all that, but we also need to be aware of the mistakes that have been made along the
way, a new nation, blundering its way across a vast land, not always understanding the peoples
they encountered, not always ‘nice.’
Humility: “Know that you are equal to, but not better than others. Be proud of working
with the group. When you work cooperatively you contribute to everyone’s success. The wolf
represents humility because it works for the good of the pack.”
The hope is that through our humility we will find wisdom: “Value knowledge. Know
how to use your gifts wisely. When you use your gifts wisely you contribute to the good of the
community. The beaver represents wisdom because it uses its teeth and the knowledge of how to
build to survive.”
The needs and wants of the many varied people who live on this land is vast. What does
it mean to work for the good of the pack, when the pack includes a coast to coast nation, different
ages, different races, different identities, and even different nations within Canada? How do we
understand the many differences and the many different ways that contribute to success for each
person and every community? It’s not easy. Sometimes we need to take a step back, listen and
observe, and, with curiosity, ask questions, and learn from the mistakes that will inevitably be
made. Wisdom doesn’t come from books. It does not come from hearing lectures or acing tests.
Knowledge is helpful but wisdom is gained through our experiences, and most often, from what
we learn from our mistakes. Unfortunately, so many of us want to deny our mistakes or hurry
past them, but humbling ourselves, acknowledging past wrongs, apologizing, and working to
make amends, is how we grow wise, and why this wisdom comes to us as elders.
We all carry wisdom, but I often wonder if we need to listen most closely to our children,
new to this world, carrying the wisdom that comes with innocence, and to our elders, who hold
the experience and hopefully the many learnings that come with those experiences. In
indigenous communities, children and elders are highly valued. This we can learn from our
indigenous neighbours.
We have spent several Sundays learning about the seven Grandfather Teachings, hearing
about truth and reconciliation. What comes next? Jeff and I attended the Grandmother’s Voice
event on Tuesday night to hear Jody Wilson-Raybould speak. Unfortunately, I didn’t encounter
any other St. Pual’s folks. Jeff saw a couple of his colleagues from CAS. We encountered a
couple of people from Grace United in Burlington, but no others. Reconciliation does not
happen in a bubble. It will not happen by talking about it in church or by wearing orange on
September 30th. We are invited over and over again to join the indigenous community in
Halton, but something is holding us back. It it our guilt? Are we afraid we’ll feel
uncomfortable? As one of the parties to the settlement agreement, we need to figure this out. I
will keep extending these invitations, but my fear is that one day we may stop receiving them
and the opportunity we have now to grow in relationship, to learn, to be a part of this
reconciliation work will go away.
I listened to Kent’s sermon last week. What were your words, Kent? Suck it up!? I
won’t say that, but I want you to put some thought into this. Think about how the seven
Grandfather Teachings may guide us in this work: Respect, Courage, Love, Truth, Humility,
Honesty, and Wisdom. God walks with us and is always with us, but we have to be the ones to
put begin that walk, to put one foot in front of the other, meeting our indigenous cousins more
than half way, accepting their invitations to come into their space - not them into ours. Our doors
are always open but they’ve been hurt a lot by the church. It’s time for us to leave our comfort
zone and join them in theirs.
God is with us. Christ is our wisdom and will light our path. The Spirit will push us,
encourage us, and inspire us. Now, it’s up to us. May it be so. Amen.
6 of 6
Luke 9:28-36
(Introduce yourself. - Do not move or tap microphone.)
This week, I am reading the story of the transfiguration of Jesus. Today is
Transfiguration Sunday, which, in the Christian calendar, always signals the
upcoming season of Lent. That and the pancake supper on Tuesday.
This is a story of transformation and of seeing in a new light and in a new way.
Jesus shines for the disciples and the disciples aren’t quite sure what to do next.
I’m reading from the ninth chapter of the gospel of Luke, verses 28 to 36.
28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John
and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the
appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of
lightning. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.
31 They appeared in glory and were speaking about his exodus, which he was
about to fulfill in Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down
with sleep, but as they awoke they saw his glory and the two men who stood with
him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us
to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,”
not realizing what he was saying. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and
overshadowed them, and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then
from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”
36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in
those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
May the Spirit guide our understanding of this holy scripture.