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Breathing Under Water – Richard Rohr

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September 8, 2016

Yes, “the truth will set you free” as Jesus says (John 8:32) but first it tends to make you miserable. The medieval spiritual writers called it compunction, the necessary sadness and humiliation that comes from seeing one’s own failures and weaknesses. Without confidence in a Greater Love, none of us will have the courage to go inside, nor should we… People only come to deeper consciousness by intentional struggle with contradictions, conflicts, inconsistencies, inner confusions, and what the biblical tradition calls “sin” or moral failure… God actually relishes the vacuum, which God knows God alone can fill… in other words, the goal is actually not the perfect avoidance of all sin, which is not possible anyway (1 John 1:8-9 and Romans 5:12) but the struggle itself, and the encounter and wisdom that comes from it. Law and failure create the foil, which creates the conflict, which leads to a very different kind of victory, not moral superiority but just luminosity of awareness and compassion for the world.

p.31-32

Tags: bible study, Carmelite Library, paradox, self-awareness, struggle

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Ex nihilo

Gallery

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September 1, 2016

Tags: creation, reflection, rest

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Quaker Spirituality

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August 29, 2016

The Indigenous Hospitality House are hosting learning circles on a breadth of topics. Here are Samara’s reflections on the Quaker session. Photo credit to IHH.

quaker-circle

Start with silence – business meetings, weddings, funerals, protests… this is an intentional mechanism for listening to the prophetic voice.

On the table in front of us we have flowers [something from creation], the Bible, and “our book” [the Quaker queries and advices].

Calm, relax, let go, forget day/tasks/concerns.

Be present.

For me this is often about my body yielding and a remembering of the nature of love to change.

A service might go an hour or more, let’s try and go for 10 mins and close with “Thank you friends”

These spaces

– don’t critique

– not intellectually analysing/deconstructing

…but hearing spiritually.

Spaces are to address spiritual wellbeing. To provide a space to see and understand spiritually.

Quakers believe no priest of minister can do it for you. The hour of silence is an hour of active worship. You will be changed. There is an expectation of that.

Someone might ask a question aloud… [Quakers might reference their queries and advices book if relevant]. They do not give “answers”

Only you have your own answer to deepen your spiritual life.

e.g. “I want to talk about why I’m sad…”

“We can, but what makes you happy?”

The process reframes.

SILENCE

– together

– connected to others present

– not worried about what your thinking (don’t stress if you start but a shopping list, but…)

– take a thought, dwell on it as you need to – may or may not become ministry.

– no veil(s) between me and God

– ministry uncanny to what’s on your heart/mind.

Tags: discernment, listening, prayer, questions, reflection, voice

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Our lives matter

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August 28, 2016

On 6 July 2016 Philando Castile was shot in front of his family in his car. The next day at a peaceful #blacklivesmatter rally 5 policemen were shot by a sniper. The next day as I walked to the train station I discovered this abhorrent graffiti in Leeds St across the pavement and shop fronts… from Minnesota to Texas to Australia in three days. A hand reaching out from the US all the way to Footscray and I feel cold and unsafe: We don’t want that violence here. We don’t want that hate here. That will not and should not touch my home.

Being one of those interfering women –I ask of myself, “Right, what can I do about this…” I took photos on my phone and sent then to the City Council and my local police station asking them to clean it up. Ours is a multicultural, multifaith, mostly safe neighbourhood and I don’t want anyone’s propaganda creating an environment of fear or unrest in the place/space that is my home for myself or others… Yes #blacklivesmatter. All lives matter.

What else is there to do? Cleaning up graffiti is managing the symptoms but what about the root cause? Using violence to solve our problems doesn’t seem to be working… Animosity seems to breed animosity. The right to bear arms doesn’t seem to make the world more safer just increase our odds of dying by getting shot. Led by our fear… Sticks and stones may break our bones but words will never... That’s patently untrue. And these words hurt. What does it mean for this to be written on our streets and on our walls? Do people really understand how far-reaching their choices, their words, their actions are?

This sort of a call to violent action is an anathema to me (I looked that up, it means: a detested thing) it felt like a violation (I looked that up to, it means: to disregard/treat profanely/break in upon-disturb/sexual assault). This impacted my sense of home and feeling safe matters. Having a sense of home matters. We are making the world we live in. Do people understand that? You are making the world we live in. Do you understand that?

I have delayed this post because I wanted some amazing idea. An everyday person makes a choice in a moment there, what choice can I make in a moment here? Something I could do that might have impact here that sent ripples just as far-reaching back the other way but, funnily enough, I couldn’t fix world peace this month. I intend to keep thinking about it though and asking of myself: “what can I do?”

In the meantime, I will keep walking in my neighbourhood. I will keep reading the word on the street and even though I haven’t done anything and nothing’s changed, and although I can’t really explain why, I have a feeling it’s going to be ok.

Tags: graffiti, non-violence, peace, voice

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Calligraphy @ The Library

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August 18, 2016

Tags: Carmelite Library, illumination, light, words

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Value 2: In it for the long haul

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August 17, 2016

We are running a fortnightly bible study following our community dinner looking at the exegesis (interpretation) of the bible passages that underpin each of our community values. You can read the list of Values here so you know what’s coming up next.

These values can be relevant whatever context you live and work in just make the Word you own.

Value 2: In it for the long haul

We value being a constant in an inconsistent world, expecting and persevering through hard times. Our long-term commitment allows us to build trust and respect with those in our community, as we try to reflect God’s unconditional love and grace.

Biblical basis: Hebrews 10:36

Let’s read the value together… what words/phrases stand out?

persevering through hard times…
constant…
try to reflect God’s unconditional love…

Read the bible. What words/ideas stand out?
What can we learn from the bible about living the Value: In it for the long haul?

Hebrews 10:19-25; 32-39

¹⁹Therefore, my friends,^[^g^] since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.²³Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

³²But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, ³³sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. ³⁴For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed something better and more lasting. ³⁵Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. ³⁶For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. ³⁷For yet

“in a very little while,
the one who is coming will come and will not delay;
³⁸but my righteous one will live by faith.
My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.”

³⁹But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.

– NRSV

Reflection time… followed by sharing time.

The photos around the walls of this house are a testament to the “long haul” of this community, let’s get up and have a look at these photos…

what can you see?
what should we keep doing?
what keeps you coming back?
how can we “consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds”

Here are some of the things that have kept us going for the long haul, encourage us when things are tough and inspire us to want to be here in Footscray for another 10 years!

⊕ celebrating people’s’ lives ⊕ birthdays ⊕ people coming and going ⊕ growing up together ⊕ smiling ⊕ gardening ⊕ sharing the hard things ⊕ participating in rites of passage like births, baptisms and marriages ⊕ celebration of big and small things ⊕ grieving together ⊕ serving the community ⊕ cooking ⊕ having fun and being silly together ⊕ focus on the poor ⊕ playing sport ⊕ playing music and singing ⊕ being creative ⊕ having mastery/learning of new skills ⊕ Other people come and go. People are always here. You feel like you are needed. ⊕ different age groups ⊕ sharing food ⊕

As we sat with this, Ash observed that there is a stripping down faith to what’s important that happens in all of this… what is that?

IMG_0706 - Copy

Tags: belonging, bible study, love, sustainability

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Nauru Files Vigil – Love Makes A Way

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N.B. This post may be a negative trigger for survivors of physical and sexual abuse.

This morning we held a peaceful Love Makes a Way vigil outside Tim Watts office in Footscray as part of a bigger movement in response to the heart-wrenching incident reports leaked last week to The Guardian known as the Nauru Files. LMAW members and friends from a wide range of asylum seeker advocacy groups converged on over 45 MP offices and Immigration Dept offices across Australia in protest.

Armed with paper dolls to symbolise the men, women and children
who have been abused and traumatised by offshore detention, these small groups read from the incident reports, heard poetry from former refugees and demanded the Government ‪#‎CloseTheCamps‬ and ‪#‎BringThemHere‬

Welcome. We acknowledge that we gather today, to sing and pray, on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

I’m sure most of you here are already across the Love Makes A Way movement and what it’s about, we don’t really have words to respond to these leaked Nauru Files. These dolls that you see here, we will be leaving them up and the reason for that is that it will mean someone here at Tim Watts office will have to physically engage in the act of taking them down. The lives of these children, or these people are in their hands. Written on some of these images are the words of case workers and people in detention centres – stories of sexual and physical abuse. We put these images here as a symbol of these people that are entrusted to our care, to our politicians care, and we don’t think they’re doing a very good job with the responsibility that has been entrusted to them. In the tradition of the civil rights movement we want to sing some songs that inspire and speak to the world we want to live in and welcome these people to join us in.

There is room

There is room at the table (x3)
Bring them here, let them stay.

There is room at the border (x3)
Bring them here, let them stay.

There is room in our hearts (x3)
Bring them here, let them stay.

There is hope for a new tomorrow (x3)
Bring them here, let them stay.

We say love makes a way (x3)
Bring them here, let them stay.

Hold on (Love Makes A Way)
(tune: Keep your hand to the plough/Keep your eyes on the prize)

They are coming across the sea,
From their homes they have had to flee,
We say, love will bring them here, hold on.

We are here to sing and shout,
Why you keeping God’s children out?
We say love will let them stay, hold on.

Chorus
Hold on, hold on,
We say, love makes a way, hold on.

We say welcome the refugee
We say set all the people free
We say, love will bring them here, hold on.

We have room in our hearts to care
We have plenty enough to share
We say, love will let them stay, hold on.

We shall bring them here
(words adapted from ‘We shall overcome’)

We shall bring them here, we shall bring them here
We shall bring them here some day
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall bring them here some day

We will not keep silent, we will not keep silent
We will not keep silent today
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We will not keep silent today

The truth shall make us free, the truth shall make us free
The truth shall make us free some day
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
The truth shall make us free some day

We are not afraid, we are not afraid
We are not afraid today
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We are not afraid today

We shall let them stay, we shall let them stay
We shall let them stay some day
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall let them stay some day

As I went down to Tim’s office to pray
(words adapted from ‘As I went down to the river to pray’)

1) As I went down to Tim’s office to pray
Welcome the refugee, let them stay
And who shall help us bring them here?
Good Lord show me the way!

O sisters let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O sisters let’s go down
Down to Tim’s office to pray

2) As I went down to Tim’s office to pray
Welcome the refugee, let them stay
And who shall call for a change of heart?
Good Lord show me the way!

O brothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O brothers, let’s go down
Down to Tim’s office to pray

3) As I went down to Tim’s office to pray
Welcome the refugee, let them stay
And who shall raise their voices here?
Good Lord show me the way

O mothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O mothers let’s go down
Down to Tim’s office to pray

4) As I went down to Tim’s office to pray
Welcome the refugee, let them stay
And who shall work for a better plan?
Good Lord show me the way

O fathers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O fathers, let’s go down
Down to Tim’s office to pray

5) As I went down to Tim’s office to pray
Welcome the refugee, let them stay
And who shall share these boundless plains?
Good Lord show me the way

O people, let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O people, let’s go down
Down to Tim’s office to pray

6) As I went down to Tim’s office to pray
Welcome the refugee, let them stay
And who shall help us bring them here?
Good Lord show me the way

READING — ‘HOME’ (Warsan Shire)

no one leaves home unless
home is the mouth of a shark
you only run for the border
when you see the whole city running as
well
your neighbors running faster than you
breath bloody in their throats
the boy you went to school with
who kissed you dizzy behind the old tin
factory
is holding a gun bigger than his body
you only leave home
when home won’t let you stay.

no one leaves home unless home chases
you
fire under feet
hot blood in your belly
it’s not something you ever thought of
doing
until the blade burnt threats into
your neck
and even then you carried the anthem
under
your breath
only tearing up your passport in an airport
toilets
sobbing as each mouthful of paper
made it clear that you wouldn’t be going
back.

you have to understand,
that no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land
no one burns their palms
under trains
beneath carriages
no one spends days and nights in the
stomach of a truck
feeding on newspaper unless the miles
travelled
means something more than journey.

no one crawls under fences
no one wants to be beaten
pitied
no one chooses refugee camps
or strip searches where your
body is left aching
or prison,
because prison is safer
than a city of fire
and one prison guard
in the night
is better than a truckload
of men who look like your father
no one could take it
no one could stomach it
no one skin would be tough enough

the
go home blacks
refugees
dirty immigrants
asylum seekers
sucking our country dry
niggers with their hands out
they smell strange
savage
messed up their country and now they
want
to mess ours up
how do the words
the dirty looks
roll off your backs
maybe because the blow is softer
than a limb torn off
or the words are more tender
than fourteen men between
your legs
or the insults are easier
to swallow
than rubble
than bone
than your child body
in pieces.

i want to go home,
but home is the mouth of a shark
home is the barrel of the gun
and no one would leave home
unless home chased you to the shore
unless home told you
to quicken your legs
leave your clothes behind
crawl through the desert
wade through the oceans
drown
save
be hunger
beg
forget pride
your survival is more important

no one leaves home until home is a
sweaty voice in your ear
saying-
leave,
run away from me now
i don’t know what i’ve become
but i know that anywhere
is safer than here.

Were you there?

Were you there when they turned the boats away?
Were you there when they turned the boats away?
Ohhh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,
Were you there when they turned the boats away?

Were you there when our nation turned its face?….

Were you there when the child was locked away?….

Were you there when the abuses came to light?…..

We will pray until love can make a way…..

Our hearts’ song is to close the camps and bring them here and we’ll keep singing, praying and turning up until love makes a way…

Tags: accountability, home, hospitality, prayer, radical discipleship, sing, welcome

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Snippets in the Snow

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August 13, 2016

p.44

I do not trouble my spirit to vindicate itself or be understood
I see that the elementary laws never apologise…
I exist as I am, that is enough
If no other in the world be aware I sit content…
I know the amplitude of time
The pleasures of heaven are with me, and the pains
of hell are with me.

p.31

Who need be afraid of the merge?
Undrape… you are not guilty to me, nor stale nor discarded.

Walt Whitman – Leaves of Grass

Tags: belief, creation, freedom, poetry

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More Stevie Smith!

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August 10, 2016

img_0681-copy

Tags: belonging, human, loneliness, love, poetry

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Living Under The Veil

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August 4, 2016

I have been struggling recently… just figuring out how to exist well in a world where so much feels obfuscated by the power of things unseen to influence and affect my life. Things and people that seek to control my choices by limiting my choices. As a way of praying, personal confession and speaking to powers I wanted to somehow create a physical metaphor for the ideas circling in my head and this is how the idea for the veil came about.

What follows here is a series of images that seeks to playfully and prayerfully explore, critique, live-into-being the answer to some of my own questions around this idea of what barriers are coming between us and being able to see God clearly…

Here are some of my queries:

In what ways does this veil shelter or smother me?

How can we know and be known through such thickness that clouds and blinds us?

At a recent team planning day, the facilitator mentioned that the church “as we know it” has 17 years left… it’s dying. What does this mean if we reflect on the Church as the Bride of Christ? Is the church glorious? …holy and without blemish? ready?

^{Ephesians 5:25} Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

^{Revelation 19:7} Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.⁸ And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.⁹ And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

The Greek word ecclesia, for church, means “The called-out (ones)” i.e. the church is its people, if the institutional church as we know it dies – what does that mean for the called? Does God become a widower?

What does it look like to live with full access to God? How can we remove the veil that creates separation between God and humankind?

Covenant symbols in Christianity: BRIDAL VEIL
“Not only does the bridal veil show the modesty and purity of the bride and her reverence for God, it reminds us of the Temple veil which was torn in two when Christ died on the cross. The removing of the veil took away the separation between God and man, giving believers access into the very presence of God. Since Christian marriage is a picture of the union between Christ and the church, we see another reflection of this relationship in the removal of the bridal veil. Through marriage, the couple now has full access to one another. (1 Corinthians 7:4)” [from about.com]

How might we compare and contrast this invisible veil with a hijab or niqab? What is visible and what is hidden by them?

I first wore the headscarf at the age of 18 (with no pressure to wear it from parents at all even though they are very devout religious leaders in our community). My reason for wearing it was that I was at a point in my life where I was growing in my faith journey and wanted to make my surrender to God visible. For me the headscarf was an extension of my prayer (it is exactly what I wear when I pray). The act of wearing a scarf had nothing to do with a man, whether it was my father, brother or husband. In fact, my husband did not see me without a scarf until we were engaged. This in itself raises an interesting function that many women who wear the scarf also acknowledge- that the scarf can liberate their bodies from the insistent objectification of women in the public space. It demands that people deal with them based on their intellect, values, manners, behavior, ideas, etc and not based on their looks. Quite a strong feminist statement. – Dr Nora Amath

Is the Church lost? What is it looking for? What does it need? What does it pray for? Is it lonely? Is it static? Is it dead/dying?