Charis And Aletheia
Grace Is Living In Harmony With Creation And Creator
by Eric Elkin
“The Word became flesh
and made his home among us.
We have seen his glory,
glory like that of a father’s only son,
full of grace and truth.”
Nestled deep within an ancient forest rests two small lakes, Charis and Aletheia. Large granite boulders crown the shores of these two lakes, some as big as houses. Two thousand years ago, a massive sheet of ice carried these boulders away from their ancestral homes. When the glacier reached the Delaware River Valley in upstate New York, it stopped moving. It melted and formed a new landscape.
Human words were not spoken during this creation process. But, what is a spoken word? Is it not merely a sound created to communicate life to other living things? So maybe the sound of ice grinding over dirt and stone were words. The cracking of melting ice a proclamation that something new was unfolding. These words were spoken long before any human was there to hear them. Still, the sentences they formed are still visible to the human eye.
Charis and Alithea have gone by several names. If you were to search for them on Google maps, you see them as Mud Pond and Beaver Pond. Long before those names, the Leni-Lenape referred to the area as “the meat house swamp” for its abundance of wildlife. At least, that was a story I was told.
“A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”
Human hands have tried over the years to manipulate Charis and Aletheia. Volunteers spent endless hours trying to turn them into a recreational area. A dam built at the southern end of Aletheia restricted the flow of water. For a time, the two became one, and children played in the water.
Over time, little could be done to hold back Mother Nature. These lakes and their function were established long before human wisdom dreamed them to be something different. Aletheia is the Greek word for truth. It is why the name is more fitting for the lake than Beaver Pond. Lake Aletheia reveals the truth. The things that truly endure are not made of human hands or desires.
Charis is the Greek word for grace. If you are alert while visiting Charis and Alitheia, you would see the beauty of grace. We find grace when we live in harmony with creation. Lake Charis is one of the most peaceful places I have ever canoed. Quietly trolling her waters, I’ve watched beaver work, otters play, and bald eagle fish. She is home to snapping turtles, pickerel, and largemouth bass. Just sharing these memories puts my soul at peace.
I think of Charis and Aletheia every time I read the first chapter of John. They are tangible expressions of what the author is trying to communicate. The Word became flesh is truth. A truth that endures long beyond human skepticism and cynicism. Eventually, all truths cannot be subdued. When the Word became flesh is embraced, it is about grace, not dominion or control. Grace is living in harmony with creation and its creator. This kind of peace does not require me to travel to two small lakes in an ancient forest to experience it. I can find its glory wherever I am
Click to read John 1: 10-18
Reflection Questions:
When have you considered what the land looked like before human intervention?
Where do you go to find peace in nature?
What does “The Word became flesh” mean to you?
How would you describe grace to a friend?
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