Intentional

How intentional are we on a daily basis?

We don’t need to be calculating or manipulative, but we are called to be intentionally excellent with all our gifts and talents, with all the love within the fibre of our being, with our words and our deeds. I’d like to add to this our thoughts.

We need to be intentional in what we take in to our minds, that our thoughts – which will become our words and deeds – are intentionally positive and life-affirming. When I think of all the random things I read or watch, that pop-up on my facebook feed I realise I am not intentional enough. These things are ok in moderation but should not constitute the bulk of what I take in. I will certainly be more intentional in what I read and view from today (at least for a while – flawed human that I am).

Choices. If we think of the Parable of the Good Samaritan – the Samaritan was a person who made choices. In it we see the importance of genuine compassion and mercy, showing that true ‘neighbourliness’ is defined by intentional acts of kindness and care, regardless of social or ethnic boundaries.

At the end of the day reflect on your own intentions? Did they form your day? If not – what will you do differently tomorrow?

NAIDOC Week

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In Australia it is NAIDOC week.

It is important, for us, to acknowledge the past. This is true for all humans globally. Here in Australia, we need to consider the Aboriginal Australians and the history that exists.

The truth is, history exists, and it is not pretty. We need to be better. We need to do more so that future generations have equal opportunities. It is a complex equation to be honest.

I was really humbled watching the start of one of the netball games this round, the second First Nations round. Firebirds v Lightning. Both teams have one Aboriginal player, thus making this round extra-special. Watching the start my heart was touched. It is not right that there are young women who have less opportunities than others because they are Aboriginal. We may like to say we have fixed this, but the statistics lie. We need players to stand up who say yes I am Aboriginal and yes I am an amazing netball player, such as Wallam and MiMi.

From a mathematical perspective, I suggest it will be a while before we see a change. Here we have a minority of a minority. Women are a minority when it comes to power, and Aborigines are a minority. There is much work to do. Real work. Not box-ticking work, but genuine and real work that matters. So go out and do it.

Just to be

In recent media there have been statements around netball and racism, I’m going to be clear – it was the letter shared by a netballer that she had received. Typically, I don’t read the comments on those articles, but today, for whatever reason, I did.

On one hand it was interesting to read the two perspectives, after all there are usually more than one take on any moment in time. What many of the comments were focused on circled around a sense of ‘this isn’t racism’. So I googled a few definitions of racism just to have it clarified in my own mind. I could rephrase and say was the letter antagonistic because of the recipient’s race (which is part of the definition of racism)?

Ultimately, I think it is bigger than racism. And to arrive at this I went back to Jesus in the gospels as thinking about racism took me to sexism and exclusion in my mental processes and I thought what would the great includer do or say about this? (not that I can answer that – I’m merely sharing my thought process). It seems to me that a person has decided they have a right to impact on a person and how they be the person they are called to be. Obviously, I am not saying a person can do whatever they want – we have laws etc and hopefully some moral standing generally accepted in society. But this was a woman who did not ‘rally the troops’ but simply made a stand for herself and her mob. She has the right (within the parameters of the law) to be who she is. One could argue that the woman who wrote the letter also has the right. It is an interesting situation to reflect on. I’m not taking sides here – I think ultimately it reminds me that we need to understand that freedom involves being who you are, this is the great gift of freedom – that you can be who you are.

There was a significant amount of that letter that I would suggest lacked kindness and compassion and understanding. Was it racism? For that I am not sure. But perhaps it is a timely reminder that we need to be – just to be. This is the greatest gift. Maybe we need to think about how what we do can impact another’s ability to be – for humanity best excels when we all strive to be the best version of self.

If the gospels taught me one big thing it is that we need to try to be the best version of humanity we can. Our best versions look after each other and our world, not tear them down.

Pause

Finding a pause is an important, but all too challenging skill in this hectic world in which we race. Pausing renders the person a moment. Sometimes we really need that moment, even if we do nothing with it and have no significant thoughts within it. Pausing heals deep within, even when we do not know what is broken. Pausing is that re-connecting with the infinite, the divine other.

Find a pause today.

Forgiveness

Recently, I ran a retreat for Year 12s and at the end the focus of our liturgy is forgiveness and reconciliation. For me personally, forgiveness is a challenge. I find it hard to run with the word. Let’s face it – our experiences colour our lens significantly. Too many times I have heard others pretentiously talk about forgiving and moving on, as if it were a badge to wear. This has, I realise, tainted my relationship with the word – forgive.

Forgiveness is a courageous act that takes strength. Look at what God forgives in us! We can but aspire to imitate his infinite love and to try – daily – to find that courage and strength to truly forgive. I think that forgiveness is not really understood (or perhaps it is something I don’t really understand). There is something about forgiveness that is healing, and it is something we need to turn inwards to ourselves.

There are people in the world who have done amazing and ground-breaking work in forgiveness – people like Azim Khamisa – whose stories are so powerful and inspirational. If you have not read about this – my recommendation is to google it. Well worth the read.

I feel like there is so more to understand about forgiveness. We need to remember that our experience of a person does not define that person, it is a moment, or many moments, but it is not the entirety of the person. Then this needs to be balanced with accountability. How do you do that? In a way a part of forgiveness (internalised) is understanding that accountability does not lie with one person – we need to create systems and structures that support this. We can be forgiven but we also need to face the consequences of our actions. Too often I see pride, excuses and avoidance instead of humility.

After all, in the Catholic church we have ritualised forgiveness as a Sacrament. It is a Sacrament that we can access many times. Penance, albeit not a typically difficult act, is given after each visit to the confessional. Acknowledgement, true sorrow, a desire to do better and not to sin again, a humble willingness to atone – all combine in this sacrament. It is so much more than an apology.

Humility emerges when we forgive and when we are forgiven. Don’t you feel so humble when the person you have wronged does not condemn you but forgives you? As a collective race of beings how do we balance that generosity of forgiveness with responsibility?

Community

We are formed in community.

Community is both our achilles and our heart. Think of Jesus and the frustrating apostles who just didn’t get it? He worked his mission in community, regardless of the hardship, relishing the joys.

We cycle between bliss and blizzard – between the big freeze out and the warm sun. It is a bit bipolar to be sure. Regardless, we need to remember that it is in community we have the greatest opportunity to be fully human and pursue our best version of self. We cannot be our best self solo as it is in community we are challenged (as much as we are supported).

Who is your community? Know it. Love it. Appreciate it. Struggle with it, but respect it, and ultimately, defend it. It matters more than you know.

Trinity Sunday

How do we explore the Holy Trinity? I remember the whole shamrock image from my childhood and the flippant comment from Eric Idle in the film ‘Nuns on the run’ that God is like a shamrock ‘small green and split three ways’.

Earlier in the film Robbie Coltrane had a go at explaining the Trinity to his friend. Parts of this was accurate. We can say that God sends his son and that God and Jesus are one. We can say that God and Jesus send the Holy Spirit and that the three are one. But does it make sense? Probably not to a person of no faith.

So how do we explain the Trinity. We say there are 3 persons in one godhead but it is not something you can readily imagine. Perhaps it is that which is intangible that we use in everyday parlance that fits best here. God is love. As such, we have the incarnation and the coming of the Holy Spirit – all emanating from a God who is love. Love – that concept we use and strive for but never fully understand. Within the depth and infinite nature of love perhaps we best understand the Trinity as one aspect of our God. For is in not within our loving relationships that we represent ourselves differently to different people? Just as God is the Father and the Son, so too we can be Mother and Daughter and Friend and yet be one person.

Women in Scripture that lead with strength

I recently re-read Judges Ch 4 and 5 and refreshed my memory on Deborah.

Wow – what an inspirational woman. Here we have someone who is a prophetess and a judge and a military leader. The song of Deborah (Judges 5) is one of the oldest pieces of Hebrew Scripture dating back (possibly) to 12th century BCE. Then add Jael to the mix. Jael is an instrument of divine justice. It is interesting that the two align in this text. Deborah is the prophet and she advises Barak, Jael kills Sisera – fulfilling the prophecy by Deborah. The text does not show the two women meeting or interacting and yet together they present a female powerhouse which strangely made me think of Ayesha in She by H Rider Haggard. The women all command respect and fear through their decisive actions in leadership.

Women clearly have the capacity to lead with strength and clarity. There is a sense of agency in these texts that really speaks to me and also a connection to something that is beyond, the Transcendent.

I will certainly think further on this. Have a read of Judges (and She – if you can) and have a think and let me know where your thoughts go.

What will the future say about us?

What if future historians use social media to recount our history? Not a very accurate picture indeed! We hold back on posting truth to avoid being negative – how many times do we read a post about someone when our experience may be incredibly different? It is appropriate, I believe, to hold back, but what if these lies are taken as truths because we do not speak out?

It is indeed a tricky situation. In the Gospel this Sunday we hear that we are called to ‘love one another’. What does it mean to love in this way? Is it love to hold our tongues or to be silent if we do not ‘have anything nice to say’? Why are we so focused on being nice anyway? Well, perhaps self-preservation plays a part here.

How we are seen by others has become ridiculously important – influencing our job opportunities, relationships and general life. Some play this to win, others just play the moment, others play as true to self as possible. Who is right? Whose approach should be the norm?

We have set ourselves an unattainable goal – to be true to God and ourselves and to social norms. Firstly, we don’t make enough time for God (in general) so how often do we get to know God, secondly, we don’t take the time to really learn about ourselves within (ignoring the exterior noise that we react to) so how can we be true to a self we do not understand, and thirdly, social norms are fleeting, hard to hold this up when it is likely to change tomorrow. It is unlikely that all three sit in the same sphere at any given moment in time in this ever-increasingly secular arena.

Think, for a second, of the last conversation you had with someone who aligned with your beliefs and you could speak with unabashed honesty and did not fear a social or personal repercussion if they did not agree? How liberating was it? In a way, we need to connect to those people to help us continue to shut out the noise of society and the busyness of daily life so we can hear the still quiet voice of God. We need God in our hearts and minds today more than ever.

Why are we not free to be honest? Freedom is so important to our world and yet whilst we are free (in some regards) we are not free holistically. What would happen if we spoke with honesty instead of politics and socially minded comments designed to place us favourably? I for one would love to see a world where our first thought was to speak truth.

If the world were to end today, what would you do?

Strange question – I know – but also it is one I think we should stop and answer. Really stop and think and answer. Answer it in the very depths of your own truth. Only you need to know that answer.

Then what? Well, then I think we edit today – or at least our approach to it and remember what is in our hearts that needs to be heard and needs to be spoken. We get so busy in the tasks of life and the entertainment we suggest we deserve because we completed some tasks, that we don’t always listen to the still quiet voice of our soul. I would suggest that our humanity needs to acknowledge our own truth, and sadly, some days it takes the thought of all that noise ending to make me realise what lies within.

Then I can add that to my never-ending list of tasks to accomplish.