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I watched the inauguration teary eyed most of the way through it. It was a scaled down, bared boned version of itself. And yet, despite the poor audio, the canned music, and the anemic crowds, this may be the most memorable inauguration of our lifetimes. The one that came with a deep sigh of relief and the heart wrenching gratitude for all that could have been lost.
Poets are gifted with the will to capture the time with words. Amanda Gorman fulfilled this calling. I quote her inauguration poem:
We did not feel prepared to be the heirs
of such a terrifying hour
but within it we found the power
to author a new chapter
To offer hope and laughter to ourselves
So while once we asked,
how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?
Now we assert
How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?
This prophetic poem was written by a 23 year old black woman. It should make an older generation pause and tune in. There is a generation of young people who are being forged by fires hotter than any we could have imagined. And yet, with all that they have been through and seen, they still carry the hope that things will get better. I see this in my kids and in the young people I meet. This is a generation that recognizes that integrity is more sustainable than power.
As a pastor I am always asking the question: what does the church look like for this generation? How will the church that God is building for them unfold? It is unfolding right under our feet. How exciting that we have a part in its creation. We just need the eyes to see it and the heart to believe it.
In Christ,
Jen
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