Marriage in the air…

News programs highlight that yesterday, the first Monday after New Year’s Day, is the day that typically peaks for relationship breakdown and in particular marriage separation and demands for divorce. Today is the first day that same-sex couples are able to legally tie the knot under Australian law. Synchronistically, today’s set text is from the Hebrew prophetContinue reading “Marriage in the air…”

Mercy from the inner womb

Healthy are they who from the inner womb birth forth compassion, they shall feel its warm arms embracing them. (Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy) Mercy is often depicted as the grudging letting go of rightful retribution or discipline for a wrong, along the lines of “OK, I’ll let you off thisContinue reading “Mercy from the inner womb”

Creating Communities of Compassion and Hope

Our church is in camp this weekend. It’s our annual pilgrimage to Landsdale Farm School, a state education department residential facility about 20 minutes from home. We hang out, eat, converse and have fun. There are lots of animals to keep the kids enthralled and we have a couple of group sessions around a themeContinue reading “Creating Communities of Compassion and Hope”

Compassion – a “spiritual technology”…

Krista Tippett: Reconnecting with compassion | Video on TED.com. Compassion has become a cliché through overuse and overexposure, contends journalist Krista Tippett. With story and lateral thinking, she explores new ways to reclaim and implement a sorely needed collective value. By linking it with everyday expressions such as “kindness,” “curiosity without assumption” and “beauty”, she invitesContinue reading “Compassion – a “spiritual technology”…”

That’s worth taking on!

Lent is not a customary observance within the tradition of Christian formation that nurtured me. But I have come to it much in latter years. There is something very powerful about being caught up in the re-enactment of the Christian festivals and fasts that tell our story year after year. Contrary to the popularised ideaContinue reading “That’s worth taking on!”