Sunday 7 March 2010God loved us first This morning we will be baptizing four young children from one family into the "faith and family of Jesus Christ." Just before the moment of baptism we will hear the familiar words from the liturgy: In baptism, the word of the apostle is fulfilled: “We love, because God first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
It is a beautiful and key moment in the sacrament because it reminds us that it is God who takes the initiative in our lives, has loved from the beginning, even before an infant child can understand, and that as the child grows into maturity the challenge will be to understand what that means for their life.
The apostle John understood love is of God and that our experience of God’s grace and acceptance is to shape our own response toward life and others. The love spoken of is not to be understood in simple emotional terms, but as a commandment or principle that breathes life into community.
Life is a response to God’s great gift of unconditional love
The four children to be baptized this morning may be too young to understand objectively the significance of their baptism, or the word of truth uttered in that moment, but as they grow within the acceptance and love of God in community, they too will learn to love as God first loved them.
So then, as we share in the sacrament of baptism this morning, let us reflect on what it means for us to be loved and accepted by the source of life itself, and how we might reflect that love to others in our lives and relationships.
Sunday 28 February 2010People of the Way In the early days after Christ’s resurrection, and throughout the first century, his followers were not known as Christians but as ‘people of the way.’ I was reminded of this by today’s Gospel when, after being warned by some Pharisees not to go to Jerusalem because Herod was out to kill him, Jesus refused their advice saying: “yet today, tomorrow and the next day I must be on my way.” (Lk 13:53) From as early as chapter 9 in Luke’s Gospel Jesus is ‘on the way’ to Jerusalem, the way of the cross. It is therefore not surprising his early followers were described as ‘people of the way.’ Following Jesus is not simply about making statements of faith, holding to certain doctrines or teachings, but accepting and living out a ‘way of life’ modeled for us by Jesus himself. The marks of that way are sacrificial love toward others, a compassionate heart, a desire for peace, and passionate commitment to see justice done for all peoples. Being ‘on the way’ also implies life is an unfolding process of learning and growing as we journey on. Such an understanding saves us from the trap of self-righteous certainty of our own rightness as to the truth, and encourages us to embrace every new experience as a chance for deeper understanding of God’s ways. So then, as ‘people of the way’, let us journey through Lent in the footsteps of Jesus. Let us take these forty days to explore what it might mean for us, for those we love and those we meet in the daily routines of our lives, if we model our lives on the example of Christ. Sunday 21 February 2010The sign of the cross 9.00 am last Wednesday morning I took part in an Ash Wednesday service at St Columba’s Uniting Church. During the service participants were signed with the cross on their foreheads with a mixture of oil and ash. Words of absolution were then said: “Remember you are dust, and into dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ. Repent and believe the Good News: God longs for you to be whole”. Then, as we went from the church to the day’s activities, we realised we had a very obvious sign, in ash, of the cross on our foreheads. In the light-hearted conversation that followed, a Catholic member in our group jokingly suggested if the sign is rubbed off before midnight it would bring six months bad luck. It did bring home, however, the ambivalence some of us felt about walking around for the rest of the day with a symbol of our faith so obviously displayed. All those present were very sincere Christians, and yet to draw attention to it so publically would be a new experience for many of us. But then the sacrificial love and absolute commitment of Christ, symbolised by the cross, laughed at our own self-consciousness. Later that morning some of us found ourselves on a stall City Church had set up as part of ‘Market Day’ (orientation day) for ANU students. It became clear we can no longer assume young people will automatically turn to the institutional church for guidance, even though searching for spiritual meaning in their lives. I believe, however, the church has a powerful life transforming Gospel (Good News) to offer, but if we are to share that hope there is first need for us to listen and seek to understand the needs and existential questions young people are now asking. As I recalled the words of absolution received earlier that morning, which had so much meaning for me, I began to wonder whether words such as ‘dust’, ‘repent’ and ‘sin’ would also communicate with the young people at ‘Market Day’. I sense, however, the final statement of the absolution could well resonate with them: “God longs for you to be whole.” Although the challenge is real, let us never lose faith in the power of the Gospel to communicate with all generations and all people, for it is the promise of transformed life. Oh, and yes, we did bear the sign of the cross on our foreheads throughout the day. Sunday 14 February 2010Transformation Late one afternoon Peter, James and John find themselves on a mountain top in the presence of their transfigured Lord, and they would never be the same again; their lives transformed. What does it mean to be transformed? Writer, Ellen Bass, observes “There’s a part of every living thing that wants to become itself, the tadpole into the frog, the chrysalis into the butterfly, a damaged human being into a whole one.” Transformation is born in the gentle stubbornness that believes things can change and we need not be constrained by past events or life’s experiences. Sam Keen explores how the concept of transformation is at the heart of all world religions. “The great metaphors from all spiritual traditions – grace, liberation, being born again, awakening from illusion – testify that it is possible to transcend the conditioning of our past and do a new thing.” Last weekend Margaret and I went to see the movie, ‘Invictus’ based on the period of Nelson Mandela’s life as president of the newly formed multi-racial democracy of South Africa, itself going through transformation. In the movie the character of Mandela quotes from the poem ‘Invictus’, by W.E. Henley, that had sustained him during his 27 years in prison on Robben Island: Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Let us then be open to the possibility of transformation within our own lives and relationships, believing that the spirit of Christ can do new things in and through us. There is just one thing to add. This new awareness of self in Christ will then free us to work for transformation in our world or, as Rabbi Harold Kushner suggests: “The ultimate goal is to transform the world into the kind of world God had in mind when he created it.” (Postscript: we thoroughly recommend the movie) Sunday 7 February 2010Giving thanks for our teachers Her name was Mrs Hawker. Her Christian name was Jenny, but for me she will always be Mrs Hawker. As my English teacher in Year 12 she opened up for me the world of Shakespeare, nurtured a love of poetry, and allowed me the opportunity to enjoy the thrill and satisfaction of debating and performing in a play on stage. Even more so, through encouraging us to interpret and express our own thoughts on literature, and in listening attentively to what we had to say, Mrs Hawker affirmed in us a sense of being valued for who we were and had to offer. Oh, at times we did try her patience, and she yelled at us, but it always occurred within the context of a relationship of mutual respect. But Mrs Hawker was one of many, including Mr Nelson at High School, and Miss Hilda, Miss Faye, Miss Birch and Mr Green at Girgarre Primary School. All had an influence in my personal development and appreciation of life to varying degrees. To this list I can also add the names of teachers who played a formative role in the lives of our children during their school years. I was reminded of these fine people as a new school year begins. The word ‘education’ is derived from the Latin ‘e’ (out) and ‘ducere’ (to lead). The role of education or the teacher is to ‘lead out’ others into new understandings and life. Teaching, therefore, is not only a profession requiring the development of specific skills, but also a vocation where the skilled professional feels a responsibility for the nurture and well-being for those entrusted to them. As I recalled the teachers who influenced me I realised it was those who appeared to value me as a person and what I had to offer. Learning and growth occurs in relationships of mutual respect and trust where both teacher and student share in a common search for truth. Each Sunday as our children leave for Junior Church they do so with the following blessing: Students and teachers of Junior Church,
go to your lessons to teach and learn,
to learn and teach the mystery of God’s love for us all.
This week I encourage you to recall those teachers who have had a formative influence in your life, and give thanks. Sunday 31 January 2010Epiphany It was a cool crisp late autumn morning many years ago in Lithgow as I returned from walking Jenny and David to the nearby public school. Coming toward me were an older group of children running a little late but laughing and chattering together as they hurried toward the promise of an exciting new day. As I walked home the words of a poem I had recently read resonated in my mind. I went to my bookshelf and found the poem by Australian poet John Shaw Neilson: Australian author David Malouf in his novel "The Great World" describes the role of the poet as being to capture all those things deeply felt which may go unrecorded: "all those unique and repeatable events, the little sacraments of daily existence, movements of the heart and intimations of the close but inexpressible grandeur and terror of things." Malouf goes on to suggest we live in two dimensions, one of which is the dimension of mystery captured by the poet. This dimension “goes on, in a quiet way, under the noise and chatter of events and is the major part of what happens each day in the life of the planet, and has been from the very beginning." Our green banners remind us we are in the season of Epiphany in which we celebrate the presence of God in the midst of ordinary daily experiences; such as schoolgirls hastening to school. Let us then, in our worship this morning and in every moment of our lives, be open to the small epiphanies of joy and life and hope around us; that we too may touch the unknowable divine. Sunday 24 January 2010Values of the Gospel in National Life A few years ago there was widespread debate, particularly among politicians, about defining ‘Australian values’. People coming to Australia were to comply with Australian values; but our politicians could only make vague reference to concepts like ‘mateship’ and ‘respecting the Australian way of life’ when quizzed on what ‘Australian values’ were. My cynical side felt the debate more a call to nationalism rather than a serious attempt to define which values help shape a cohesive, just and compassionate society. My faith in fellow Australians was bolstered however when the results of an ACNielsen poll were released. Respondents had been presented with a list of values and asked which was the most important. What pleased me most was 25% of Australians interviewed chose “tolerance of different religions and cultures” as most important, with the highest being “freedom of speech” cited by 27%, and “a fair go” nominated third by 21%. Significantly terms which made strong appeals to nationalistic sentiment were resisted, only 8% citing “mateship”. Respondents instead opted for more universal values shared by all human communities such as tolerance, freedom of speech and equality (“a fair go”). I was reminded of the debate by this morning’s reading from the book of Nehemiah when, in 428 BCE, just two months after the first Jewish exiles from Babylon returned to their devastated homeland, Ezra the priest stood before all the people and read from the Law of Moses, the holy scriptures, affirming it is the ‘law/ways of God’, which gives order, cohesion and justice to community. Just as Ezra and Nehemiah, the governor, understood the reawakening of religious life and relationship with God could once more rekindle life and hope in the Jewish people, so too the Australian community will find cohesion and purpose if it embraces the teachings of Jesus that espouse values common to all just societies. True community is found in committed relationship with God who transcends our human knowing. That is our responsibility as we prepare to celebrate Australia Day this Tuesday. To ensure the values and teachings of the Gospel are kept alive, proclaimed and observed within the life and body politic of our nation; the basis for true human community. Sunday 17 January 2010Intoxicated by Grace My congregation of Mittagong is a small semi-rural congregation. And, like all small congregations it is often quite difficult to find enough people with the necessary skills, to do the things that congregations have to do. At the moment we are desperately in need of an organist, and treasurers are a rare commodity. We are a congregation which, for better or for worse, seems to do a lot of its activities around food. So having people who are prepared and able to cook is important. At the moment most of the cooking is done by a small group of elderly women. Whenever we have a funeral, or a concert, or some other special occasion, refreshments are offered. When I hadn’t been long in Mittagong I used to be a bit concerned that our ladies would not be able to put on a spread that would feed a crowd of people. How could this small group of elderly women accommodate a hundred or so people. It would be so embarrassing if the food ran out before everyone had had at least one cake with their cup of tea. Over time, however, I learnt that no matter how many people we had at the funeral or the concert, the table in the hall would groan with cakes and slices and quiches that would make the most fussy eater’s mouth water. Like most ministers I visit other churches with congregations much bigger than Mittagong’s, but I’ve never encountered a congregation that had ‘spreads’ that could outdo Mittagong. The table provided by our small group of cooks is out of all proportion to the size of the congregation. Today’s gospel reading is a story about Jesus providing wine that is out of all proportion. In ancient times, peasants seldom drank wine. They couldn’t afford it. It was only on special occasions that wine was had. So for everyone to have one or two cups of third rate wine would have been a treat. But John says that Jesus provided 500litres (666 bottles, 55 and ½ cases) of good wine. This story is about the over-abundance of the grace of God. It is about the great celebration that surrounds the reign of God. Jesus’ gift is not out of all proportion in the kingdom of God. It is par for the course. Under the reign of God, grace overflows. this week’s reflection prepared by Rev Robyn Triglone Sunday 10 January 2010Global Urbanization Somewhere about 1998, the world population became more urban than rural, with more than half living in cities. This may not necessarily be a disaster - if a city is well-financed and managed, because metropolitan residents of western Europe and north America use about one third less energy per capita than their country cousins. However, urban squatters in Africa (urbanizing at 10% per annum), Latin America, eastern Europe and many parts of Asia have created impossible problems of poverty, inadequate housing and a lack of infrastructure such as electricity, cheap transport and water supply far beyond the resources of national budgets. I have a friend who once served as frustrated engineer/planner in Calcutta, a city that lacks finances to cater for even basic maintenance needs. I am surprised that the recent Copenhagen conference paid so little attention to a problem recognized since at least 7 BC when Strabo, head of the great library at Alexandria, after taking notes when travelling throughout the Roman Empire, warned that the greatest challenge facing humankind was an ability to find resources for citizens of larger cities. The Roman answer was to create a vast trading network with all roads and shipping lanes leading to a city of about half a million. Thomas Malthus gave a similar warning during the early stages of an industrial revolution that opened a new world of apparently unlimited resources. We are more aware of the finite nature of the global environment, but megacities are being built on an unprecedented scale, with ever taller buildings. In China, the world’s most urbanizing nation, at least 100 cities the size of Canberra one decade ago have now passed one million. Inland Chongqing (about 10 million), receives about 800,000 new residents a year. The forecast for 2025 is eight Chinese megacities of 15-25 million and at least another 221 ‘million’ cities. I have been astounded by Australia’s third Intergenerational Report that sets a high-population target of 35 million people by 2050, with the argument that this will reap Australian a $60 billion annual windfall from increased immigration and city developer-driven proposals. Both metropolitan Melbourne and Sydney are forecast to pass 7 million each (Canberra to treble its present size). Even though Australia ranks as one of the most urbanized populations, it is the world largest emissions producer per capita and I remain totally unconvinced that federal or state governments have shown an ability to provide water resources or manage urban transport systems with the efficiency demonstrated by such cities as Singapore, Hong Kong and elsewhere. this week’s reflection prepared by Terry Birtles Sunday 20 December 2009“Called to be Co-creators with God As an African woman (a nun) this text (the Magnificat) speaks to me in a special way for, like Mary, God has done great things for me; he has called me out of nothingness to life, love, health and vocation. Like Mary, an unknown African woman is lifted up, called to be a God-bearer, to dedicate my entire self to the service of the creator of the universe .… Praying the Magnificat leads me into contemplative participation. The distinctive parallelism and rhythm of the song produce a repetitive pattern, a going back and forth that deepens my experience. It involves me fully in the experience of hearing; it calls for a response not only of my mind, but of my feelings and my body as well. My whole person is invited to enter into its meaning. It invites me to step into the text with my whole self, just as the rhythm of music invites me to join the dance … Like Mary, I become God-bearer to the poor, the oppressed – with the words of life.” Rosemary Edet, Nigeria
Come Holy Spirit Renew the Whole Creation “What good is it to me if Mary gave birth to the Son of God 1400 years ago and I do not also give birth to the Son of God in my time and my culture.” Meister Eckhart
Dominican Mystic, Late 13th Century How might we, as co-creators with God, give birth to Christ in our lives, relationships and world this Christmas? Sunday 13 December 2009Light One Candle For Joy This morning we are lighting a candle for joy. In his letter to the Philippians, set down for today, Paul encourages his friends to “always be joyful in the Lord; I repeat be joyful.” This week I wrestled with what Paul and we, in the Christian community, mean when we talk of ‘joy’. After all, Paul was in prison when he wrote these encouraging words, an anything but joyful experience in the normal sense of the word. In the November issue of Presbytery News, Ockert Meyer suggests “in popular understanding joy has to do with laughter or happiness. In the bible joy is linked to something else. In Greek, the word for joy (chara) shares the same root as the one for grace (charis). Joy is kindled where the grace of God is discovered.” I recall the comment of a colleague once, that ‘joy’ is the experience of being taken out of ourselves; those rare moments when we are lifted out into a deeper dimension of reality/life. Certainly the spirit of joy can come near to us in the sacrament of baptism for young children, as we will experience today. Joy can also come in those brief moments when we are freed from the entanglements of life, even times of pain or struggle, and glimpse something purer, deeper – call it grace – that lifts us out of ourselves, and opens us to new possibilities for our own lives and the life of the world in which we live. Let us then, in this season of Advent, be open to the possibility that the spirit of joy can come near to us in the routines and demands of daily life. Then we too may be able to sing with quiet joy and peace on Christmas morning: Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Sunday 6 December 2009Prophet They hear the music, they follow
I hear; I do not follow
but the Prophet plays on and on knowing that some day
I will hear and follow as my stilled unsearching mind unfolds
Then I will hear and the Prophet’s song will be mine. Nalini Marcia Jayasuriya I was reminded of Sri Lankan Nalini’s poem by this morning’s Gospel reading of John the Baptist’s commissioning to ‘prepare the way of the Lord’. For me the poem both expresses the conviction and perseverance of the prophet, but also that finally, for the word to be received, there needs to be an open receptive ear to hear. At times we may identify more with the prophet who “plays on and on” hoping that others may come to know and accept the gift of life that is offered. At other times we may feel more like those “stilled unsearching”. Such is the nature of Advent. We glimpse something in the distance/future as yet unclear, but there is also promise; that the Spirit is moving, offering life and hope to all people and our world. Let us then, this Christmas, be open and receptive to the movement of the Spirit in our world so that we might hear and “the Prophet’s song” be ours. | 
