Category: Weekly message

Light is an important theme in the Bible. In Genesis Chapter 1 we read that God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light. Jesus declared himself to be the light of the world and said that those who are his disciples are also lights in the world. In our second reading today, St Paul declares “For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’ [at creation] who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God…” (2 Corinthians 4: 6).

In what way can we be light in the world?

The physicists among you will know that light is electromagnetic radiation that can be detected by the human eye. It is a form of energy which itself is invisible! We only know that light is present when it hits something which reflects it. Think about being in a dark theatre which shines a spotlight on the stage. We are only aware of the light in the theatre if there are dust or smoke particles present in the air that the light bounces off. If no particles are present, we cannot see the beam.

Just as we can’t see wind, but we can see what wind does, so we cannot see light, but we can see what light illuminates. We cannot see the light of Christ, but we can see how that light illuminates people or the situation that they are in. As the sun radiates light, so we are called to radiate the light of Christ to those around us. Such spiritual light shines with the glory of God (2 Corinthians 4: 6). It reflects love, joy, peace, harmony, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it (John 1: 5), because darkness is the absence of light. Where there is light, there cannot be darkness.

Grace and peace to you all,

Chris

I want to share with you some statements from Reconciliation Australia and the Healing Foundation concerning National Sorry Day.

In 2020, Reconciliation Australia wrote: “Every year on 26 May, National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’. National Sorry Day is a day to acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our people and nation. … The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998, one year after the Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Parliament. The Bringing Them Home report is a result of a Government Inquiry into the past policies which caused children to be removed from their families and communities in the 20th century. [In 2020]… twenty-three years after the Bringing Them Home report and twelve years since the National Apology, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are still 10.6 times more likely than non-Indigenous children to be removed from their families.”

In 2024, speaking of the Bringing Them Home report, the Healing Foundation declares: The report was a landmark truth telling process, sadly almost 30 years on a number of the report’s 54 recommendations remain unmet. The theme for this year, ‘Bringing Them Home – the unfinished business’, highlights the growing urgency of acting on the outstanding recommendations. Remaining Stolen Generations survivors are ageing, and many do not have access to a full and fair redress scheme, or to the records that hold keys to their stories. The time to act is now. We must ensure that Stolen Generations survivors are supported to age with dignity and respect.”

You can access these statements on the Reconciliation Australia and Healing Foundation websites. Please pray with me the prayer for National Sorry Day:

On this National Sorry Day, we remember Indigenous Australians with deep respect and honour their presence on this country for tens of thousands of years before white settlement. God of Mercy, we acknowledge our history, and we are sorry.

Speaking with one voice we own that we are the inheritors of the stories and actions of the colonisers of this land. God of Mercy, we acknowledge our history, and we are sorry.

Our ancestors stripped many of the creative ways that Indigenous Australians cared for the land, thus productivity and vitality were greatly diminished. God of Mercy, we acknowledge our history, and we are sorry.

God of mercy, stir within us compassion and a deep desire for reconciliation. On this National Sorry Day may this compassion and reconciliation be strong and true so that justice flows, action flourishes, a difference is made, and peace is accomplished. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Grace and peace to you all.

Christopher

Today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. The description in Acts 2 of the amazing event of the Holy Sprit being given to the disciples 50 days after the resurrection, is steeped in mystery. There was a sound like the rush of a violent wind, but there was no wind. There was what looked like divided tongues of fire on each disciple’s head, but there was no fire. Each was able to proclaim God’s glory in a human language that was not their own, so that the many pilgrims who were in Jerusalem could hear them speaking about God’s mighty power.

Perhaps most significantly, the fear and timidity of the disciples that had caused them to hide behind closed doors was suddenly taken away. They were emboldened to speak out fearlessly about the truth of the risen Saviour. This was the beginning of the Christian era, and so Pentecost is often held to be the ‘birthday of the church’.

These events have never been repeated in the way that they occurred on the first Pentecost. However, the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church is constant. We should never forget that Jesus had promised that the Holy Spirit would come as advocate, helper, teacher, and guide. It is the same Spirit who is with us still. Let us thank God for all that the Spirit does for us and for the church!

Grace and peace to you all.

Chris

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers!

Let us all give thanks for our mother who gave us our life, nurtured us, sheltered us, cared for us, and taught us our first lessons of life. It is good to remind ourselves that although the male pronoun is used for God throughout the Bible, there are many references that highlight female and motherly characteristics of our loving God. Here are some of them:

• God comforts his people like a mother comforts her child (Isaiah 66: 13)
• Like a woman would never forget her nursing child, God will not forget his children (Isaiah 49: 15)
• God is like a mother eagle hovering over her young (Deuteronomy 32: 11)
• God seeks the lost like a housekeeper, trying to find her lost coin (Luke 15: 8–10)
• God cares for his people like a midwife that cares for the child she just delivered (Psalm 22: 9–10, Psalm 71: 6, Isaiah 66: 9)
• God experiences the fury of a mother bear robbed of her cubs (Hosea 13: 8)
• Jesus longed for the people of Jerusalem, like a mother hen longs to gather her chicks under her wings (Luke 13: 34)

What wonderful reminders that our mothers are made in God’s loving image!

May the blessing of the Divine
Be an especially bright benediction
Upon mothers everywhere
On your blessed day  –
On Mother’s Day!

Grace and peace to you all,

Chris

Jim Thorpe was a native American track and field athlete who competed for his country at the 1912 Olympics. It is said that on the morning of one of his events at the Olympics, his shoes were stolen. Luckily, he found two odd shoes in a garbage can. One of the shoes was too big for him and so he wore an extra sock and wore these odd shoes to race in. In so doing, Jim Thorpe won two gold medals.

Perhaps, we might have excused Thorpe if he had withdrawn from his races, knowing that he was so poorly shod. However, he was a winner who was determined to do his best, come what may. He ran with determination, not complaining about the difficulties that had come his way but pressing on to win his races.

Not infrequently, life appears to be unfair as it was for Jim Thorpe on that day. We may face stolen shoes, ill health, failed relationships, or failed business. We may feel like ‘throwing in the towel’ and giving up. Yet, as the writer to the Hebrews urges us in chapter 12 of that epistle, we should not give up. Rather, we should remember the example of the saints of old who, like Jim Thorpe, continued in the race before them, despite the trials and difficulties that had beset them.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1–3)

Grace and peace to you all,

Chris

Our second reading today begins: ‘Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.’ (1 John 4:7)

They are noble words, are they not? But what does it really mean to ‘love one another’? I believe the English word ‘love’ is somewhat inadequate as it is used in so many ways, with many very different meanings. For example, the word ‘love’ has very different meanings in the following expressions: ‘I love my wife’, ‘I love walking in the sun’, ‘I love chocolate’, ‘I love this movie’, ‘I love AFL football’.

So, what does it mean when John urges us to love one another?

St Paul shared his view of love with the Corinthians in chapter 13 of his first letter:

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:1–8a)

I invite you to ponder the question in the light of what you know of the Scriptures generally and in the light of the acts of love demonstrated by Jesus.

Grace and peace to you all,

Chris

Next Thursday is Anzac Day. As Christians, ANZAC Day offers us the opportunity to reflect on the sacrifice, not only of the 130,000 men who died at Gallipoli on both sides of the conflict (including 8700 Australians and 2779 New Zealanders), but on the sacrifice of all men and women throughout history who fought and/or made the supreme sacrifice to achieve peace for our nation.

The soldiers who fought at Gallipoli demonstrated a willingness to lay down their lives for their country and fellow soldiers. Their selflessness is a powerful reminder of the Christian principle of putting others before oneself and loving our neighbour as we love ourselves.

ANZAC Day is also a time to reflect on the terrible consequences of war and the impact it has on individuals, families, and communities. War is terrible – full stop. We are called as Christians to be agents of peace and reconciliation in a world that is often torn apart by conflict. Through our actions and attitudes, we must work towards and pray for a world where war is no longer necessary and where peace and justice reign.

As we seek to live as ‘salt and light’, we are called to be willing to put the needs of others before our own, to show compassion and empathy, and to work towards a better future for all people. It means recognizing that we are all part of a global community – that community for whom Jesus lived, died, and rose again. We have a responsibility to care for one another because we are called to be agents of peace and reconciliation, and to work towards a world where war is no longer necessary.

Grace and peace to you all,

Chris

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’ Sadly, many people in our society are paralysed by their fears. Fear can be one of the biggest obstacles in our path. Often, we fear what we do not know. It is that lack of knowledge about what might be that heightens our fear and causes us distress.

When the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples, they were overcome with fear. In the Gospel reading set for this Sunday (from Luke Chapter 24), St Luke tells us that the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost when Jesus appeared to them, because they were convinced the risen Jesus was not real. Jesus recognised that the disciples’ fear was caused by their doubt. They doubted that he could be alive. They doubted that God could save Jesus from death, and we know from other Scriptures that they feared for their own safety in the light of the terrible things that had been done to their Lord. But they had nothing to fear. Lovingly, Jesus met them in their doubts. As he did for Thomas in last week’s Gospel account, he invited the doubters to look at his wounds and touch him to see that their fear was ill-founded.

God’s reassurance in the face of doubt and fear was not and is not new. In Isaiah 41:10 God spoke through his prophet saying, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” In Deuteronomy 31:6 we read, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread … for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” In John 14:27, Jesus blessed his friends with these words: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

At this Easter time, let us be reassured by these words and by the knowledge that God raised Jesus from the dead for the salvation of all.

Grace and peace to you all,
Chris

The first disciples were confused and incredulous when confronted with the empty tomb. Even on the day of resurrection, their feelings of elation were mixed with great doubt. Mary thought that someone had stolen Jesus’ body. The two walking to Emmaus were saddened by Jesus’ death, so much so that they did not recognise Him as He walked with them – until, of course, they realised who He was as He broke bread with them. Even though several of the women and Jesus’ closest friends reported that the tomb was empty, it seems that the reality of the resurrection had not yet been accepted, and perhaps at the time could not be accepted, as true by many of them.

This Sunday’s gospel (John 20) records the famous account of Jesus’ appearance to ten of the disciples behind locked doors when Thomas was not present. Thomas’s subsequent expression of doubt when hearing about it reminds us that doubt is a reality for many of Jesus’ followers from time to time, both then and now. Wonderfully, Thomas’s doubt turned to belief and faith in Jesus as “his Lord and his God” when Jesus appeared again a week later and lovingly invited Thomas to touch the scars of his wounds.

I think it is important to note that Jesus did not condemn Thomas for his doubt, but rather met him in his doubt and invited a deeper encounter with him. Jesus’ words that “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” speak to an emphasis on the role of faith, which goes beyond physical evidence and requires a heart that is open to God’s revelation and a willingness to trust in God’s promises.

May we, like the disciples, be willing to encounter the risen Christ in our doubts, receive his peace, and proclaim his truth with unwavering faith.

Every blessing.

Chris

Today we cry with confidence, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” Let us rejoice in the annual reminder that our Saviour is alive and has overcome death and sin. We might ask ourselves: how can this possibly be? Surely, no sensible, clear-thinking person would believe that a human being could be raised from the dead!

When I was teaching at a Grammar School, I taught Chemistry, Science, Mathematics and Religious Education. I remember one Year 9 boy who said to me, “You are weird, Sir!” When I asked him why he thought so, he replied, “Because you teach Science and Religion!” In his mind at least, the two disciplines were incompatible. The reality is, however, that there are many learned scientists who also believe in the risen Christ. I suspect that the reason that they can, is the same as it is for me. They do not deny the laws of physics, chemistry and biology; rather, they believe in a God who can work outside of those laws because God is the creator of all. It is not hard to believe that God could raise Jesus from the dead, if you believe that that same God created a universe ex nihilo (out of nothing). Do I understand how God did either? No, I don’t. But I have studied enough science to know that the extent of what we don’t understand far exceeds what we do understand.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a great mystery. But it is a glorious mystery! As Paul wrote, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans, 6:3-5)

Because God raised Jesus from the dead, through baptism we share in both his death and resurrection. His glory becomes our glory. How wonderful!

A blessed and happy Easter to you all.

Chris