The Flower, The Song, The Spirit: Finding Our Harmony | Pride Invocation
“Walking through the world as a Two-Spirit person means I am not unfamiliar with convergence, integration, or the art of holding multiple energies within one body; carrying stories of the ancestors to the current generation and that which is to come.”
Rev. Dr. Jerry Maynard
This Pride, we are exploring the intersection of worship, music, and what it looks like for us as LGBTQ+ Christians to Play It Proud. This year’s theme emphasizes our joy in our community, in our communal worship of the Divine, in our gratitude for unconditional love, and in our collective expression of who we fully and freely are. Today, QCF EDI Advisory Council Member, Rev. Dr. Jerry Maynard, brings us a message that reframes the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment that LGBTQ+ identities are “out of tune with the cadence of God’s song.”
As we near the end of June, I find myself reflecting deeply on the intersection of my queer identity and my Native heritage. Many may be unaware that the month of June offers a beautiful and truly sacred convergence: Pride Month & Native History Month. Walking through the world as a Two-Spirit person means I am not unfamiliar with convergence, integration, or the art of holding multiple energies within one body; carrying stories of the ancestors to the current generation and that which is to come.
Knowing of this convergence and the ancient role of Two Spirit people, it behooves us as queer Christians, to look to the ancient wisdom of the Nahua Mexica culture—specifically its profound relationship with music, which may reveal a breathtaking insight on how Creator views our magnificent lives; lives that church & society often have labeled as “illness” or “depraved”.
In the Nahuatl language, there is a concept known as in xochitl, in cuicatl, which translates to "the flower and the song." For the Mexica people, this phrase conveyed much more than pleasant sounds; it represented profound truth, and the highest form of spiritual expression. Music, driven by the pulsating rhythms of instruments like the huehuetl drum, was the primary language used to communicate with the Divine. The pulse would breathe life into the community, reminding us of the heartbeat of Mother Earth.
Too often, church and society, attempts to paint queer and gender-expansive identities as "dissonant" or out of tune with the cadence of God’s song. However, this month, knowing of this convergence of month long commemorations, I encourage us to look through the lens of in xochitl, in cuicatl, for with this wisdom we can reframe this anti-queer sentiment. In Xochitl reminds us that beauty comes in many forms, species, and different levels of grandeur, that when cared for with devotion, may flourish to show forth the majesty of the holy. In Cuicatl demands that we remember that we are not a disruption; rather, we reverberate the vibrations that echo throughout the universe with harmony with the Cosmic Christ. Two-Spirit people, like a symphonic arranger, weave together many worlds so that we can rest in the assurance that our existence as a queer Christians is an act of profound worship.
As a community, we must remember that God does not desire a monolithic choir where everyone sings the exact same hymn or a flower arrangement which only comprises one flower type. Pride Month is a celebration of the polyphony of God’s creation and Native History Month is a time to reclaim the ancient and still living stories that invite us into a richer tapestry of human understanding. Therefore, we must bring our unfiltered selves to the altar—our histories, our genders, our loves, and our cultures in order that we might bring a fresh dynamism to our church & society.
This week, listen and pay attention, closely. Notice the unique, resonant melody that God has placed inside your own beautiful body. Take time to sit with elders who can help teach you how to live a life that is bountiful and empower you to carry the stories of the past into the present and future.
Our Pride, our histories are not separate; they are an ensemble conducted under the baton in God's hands, orchestrating a song of liberation and arranging a bouquet of freedom.
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