“𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩, 𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨.”

- 𝙈𝙪𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙙 𝘼𝙡𝙞.

Dear friends,

“Kindness, kindness, kindness. I want to make a New year’s prayer, not a resolution. I’m praying for courage.”

Susan Sontag

A new year brings a sense of a fresh start. A promise of newness and possibility. Perhaps that’s the reason around the common practice of setting ‘New Year Resolutions.’ This year I’m going to… take better care of my health… read more books… make better choices for the sake of the world and climate change… etc. January 1st brings the opportunity for beginning again, and somehow it seems that the expectation is that things will be different in this new year. Better somehow.

Dear friends,

Sometimes the strength within you is not a big fiery flame for all to see,

it is just a tiny spark that whispers ever so softly:

“You got this. Keep going.”

Anonymous.

Talking with a colleague early this week, I observed that one of the things I feel this pandemic has ‘taken away’ is the ebb and flow of the liturgical year. I have been used to intense seasons, like Lent and Easter, Advent and Christmas, and somewhat quieter seasons like Ordinary Time (which is anything but ordinary). However, since early last year it seems like it has been ‘on the go’ all the time, with the pace gradually ramping up. And sometimes not so gradually! The battle to keep being creative, to keep being present, to keep on ‘doing’ is taking its toll.

Dear friends,

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.”

Jesus. John 3:8

This seems to capture the essence of the last two years — an invisible force has ‘blown’ through the world. We cannot tell where it is coming from, nor can we say where it is going. But we hear its sound: fear, anxiety, stress, grief, restriction. And also love, care, hope, community, connection.

Dear friends,

When something is important enough,

you do it even if the odds are not in your favour.

Elon Musk

A very long time ago it seems, I attended a workshop that engaged a process to help each person discern where God might be calling them to serve. It was called Discover Your Ministry. I was young, with a young family. I just knew that God was calling me to stay at home with my children, to be their full-time caregiver. It is probably one of the biggest understatements to say I was stunned when I discerned God was calling me into ordained ministry. It was nowhere on my radar. In fact, it was one of the two things I had long said to God that I wouldn’t do! 

Dear friends,

“If our view of the Good Life is focused on accumulating consumer goods and experiences for ourselves, instead of looking for opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others, we could totally miss what this journey is really all about. We are indeed called to live under God’s rule, practicing economic generosity and justice-making with all that God has entrusted us. We are invited to join so many who have gone before in discovering that the good life of God is to be found not in seeking life but in losing our lives in service to God and to others.”

– Tom Sine

Dear friends,

“When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening. That’s where the power is.” - Unknown Author

Like so many others I watched media reports this week of angry protests against lockdown, mask-wearing, mandatory immunisations, and closed workplaces. The scenes shown were violent. I was horrified — and I caught myself thinking, “this kind of thing happens in other places, not in Australia!” It has led to a reflection on anger and how do we express our anger safely in ways that respect others.

Dear friends,

I read a story posted on Facebook a few days ago. Whilst I haven’t checked it for validity, I found its message to be helpful and hopeful, so I share it with you (paraphrased for inclusivity).

In this African tribe, when someone does something wrong, they take the person to the centre of the village where the tribe surrounds them and for 2 days say all the good the person has done. The tribe believes each person is good but sometimes people make mistakes, which are really a cry for help. They unite to reconnect the person with their good nature.

Dear friends,

“Hey there, Mr Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down do you wanna know what you’ve gotta do? Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.” - Dory, Finding Nemo

In some vulnerable self-disclosure, I confess to feeling overwhelmed at the moment. I go to bed at night feeling worn out, and I get up in the morning somewhat refreshed — until I look at my calendar for the day and exhaustion floods over me again. My calendar is delightfully and frustratingly full. Most things that crowd the hours and minutes are exciting, energising in their own right, and fit within the areas I feel most competent to serve the Church. Even when specific tasks might not be most pleasant, I can recognise my gifts are useful in the particular contexts.

Dear friends,

How easy it is to judge! I was reading a Facebook post written by someone I respect hugely. She was writing about a recent experience in Melbourne with their current lockdown. Walking around her neighbourhood (for essential shopping and exercise), she wrote that she was angry and frustrated by the people gathering on footpaths and in parks, drinking and eating their takeaways together with no due respect to the rules about mask-wearing and physical distancing. She was honest enough to admit that her emotions arose in part from the long queues outside the places from which she wanted to get her own takeaway drink and food, and her sense of “righteousness” (my word, not hers) stemmed from the necessity of having to keep wearing her mask and keep walking back to her home.

Dear friends,

How are you? It’s a question that forms a natural part of greeting one another: “Hi, how are you?” rolls off our tongues readily, and often it seems there is little (if any) pause to listen to an answer. Mostly the reply is, “Hi, I’m fine. How are you?” Even when we are anything but fine. On occasions, when I’ve been aware that a person I’m greeting is actually not doing ok, I have sometimes repeated the question as “And how are you really?” This has been intended to invite a deeper, more meaningful response if the person would like to engage. The intent is to say, “I am here for you. I am listening. I care about you.”

Dear friends,

For a while there seemed some hope that the situation in NSW generally and Sydney specifically might ease within a few weeks. I feel a strong tendency toward disappointment and despair that it is still ongoing. And so, I pick up my “pen” to write the pastoral notes again, praying that they will offer hope and encouragement to others as well.

Dear friends,

We are on the precipice of the Holy Weekend.

I am constantly taken by the fact that on the first “Easter,” Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to Mary then the disciples whether they were ready for it or not. He had told them, repeatedly, that this was going to happen. I wonder if this was in any of their minds on the Friday as Jesus was being crucified? Was there any sense for these followers who were the first to hear Jesus talk about rising from the dead that maybe he was speaking the truth? Just maybe this thing he talked about might happen? Was there a sense of awe and mystery? Of leaning forward in their seats to wait with bated breath just in case it could happen?

Dear friends,

Having a break, some time away from the business and busyness of work, no matter how much you might love what you do, is critical to refresh body, mind and spirit. (A small confession here — I’m very skilled at reminding others of the necessity of having time off, yet not so good at heeding my own wisdom!)

Dear friends,

For a little less than two weeks I have had the indescribable joy of being with my family again. South Australia opened its borders to NSW, and I was on the first flight I could book and heading across to reunite with my children and parents. For a while I didn’t think I would let my children go when I embraced them. The longing in my heart was so deep and had hungered for so very many months. I can truly say I have savoured every moment in their presence in this time we have spent with them.

Dear friends, 

The past two weeks have drawn me to focus on a theme of resilience. I engaged in “extensive research” (a euphemism for “I Googled it!”) and learned that Psychology Today defines resilience as “that ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever. Rather than letting failure overcome them and drain their resolve, they find a way to rise from the ashes.” The site goes on to summarise it like this: “In a nutshell, resilience can be defined as the ability — and tendency — to ‘bounce back.’”