Aboriginal Day, June 21 (Canada) Aboriginal Day of Prayer, Anglican and Second Sunday after Pentecost

Exodus 19:3-6
Isaiah 40:25-31
Psalm 91

By Ginny Doctor

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence;
he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
or the arrow that flies by day Psalm 91:2-4

those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

I met Mark MacDonald (National Indigenous Bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada) in the mid 1980’s at an Urban Indian ministry meeting in the States. He brought out his guitar and started playing this song called “On Eagle’s Wings,” written by Michael Joncas. I had not heard it but really liked it. It is based on Psalm 91 but the chorus from Isaiah goes like this: “and he will raise you up on Eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn; make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hands.” That song became the national anthem of Indian work in the Episcopal Church and was also know as “Mark’s song.” I was at another meeting and requested “On Eagle’s Wings” but was told, “That’s Father Mark’s song, we can’t sing it without him.” Continue reading “Wild Lectionary: The Eagle Shared Its Strength” →