Moving Forward

Rev Marion Millin

Readings - EXODUS 17:1-7, PHIL 2:1-13, MAT 21: 23-32 

Ironically when I read the OT reading set for today I could hear echoes of what has been happening in our current world. It is indeed tough going when you find yourself in a wilderness experience, anxious about the future. During our pandemic we’ve had our fair share of grumblers and complainers too. And like what happened to Moses, those we turn to for leadership have also endured criticism and much stress. The reality is that slaves probably escaped from Egypt at different times into the desert of Sinai maybe leaving friends behind. It seems that eventually they banded together and became brigands raiding as far as Canaan. But things got tidied up for the Moses story. And so we hear of some of them thinking about a return. But that is not possible. They can only keep forging on into the future hoping for the best, despite dark times. And that has mostly been our response too.

I don’t know if you saw the Four Corners program last Monday – if so, you will realise that the horror of slavery is still very much part of our modern world. I was shocked to see that the centre of the Polish gang’s operations was in West Bromwich not far from where my husband Martin grew up – in fact you could see the motorway interchange known locally as ‘spaghetti junction’ from his house. This gang had enmeshed vulnerable homeless or disabled guys in their tentacles as slaves. They had then been transported to the UK and forced to work without pay, crammed into overcrowded houses. However some had had the courage and opportunity to escape. And when they did so they ended up being supported by an organisation called “Hope for Justice”and the Salvation Army. They had managed to find the miracle of life-giving water indeed. Some of those former slaves then went on to bravely witness in a major court case which ended with the gang serving a lengthy jail time.

Another example of finding life-giving water in dark times came in the form of Ahn Do’s recent program ‘Brush with Fame’where he was painting Father Bob’s portrait. Do pick it up on ABC IVIEW because I think in listening to Father Bob you catch a glimpse of Jesus. He had spent nearly 40 years in a South Melbourne Parish creating a community hub where all were welcome, especially the homeless, even into his manse. But then as he explained “Helping people - That’s our calling as human beings. That’s our future – don’t curse the darkness, light a candle.”However, after nearly forty years and at the age of 75, Father Bob had been forced to resign and leave his parish and friends where he had spent so much of his passion and energy.

When Ahn was questioning Father Bob about this experience of ending up alone, he asked “Where do you go when you are feeling that loneliness?”Father Bob replied “Oh well, you make the journey to the centre of self. When all the busyness stops, there is aloneness that is to be owned, shouldbe owned, because it comes to us all” And I had a sense that he was also referring to the sacred core which is at the centre of all things. Then I started thinking about how dealing with loneliness (and the ability to stay centred in aloneness) has indeed been the common theme for so many of us this year. I have done three stints so far – our time of ‘lockdown’ in April, over a month’s ‘toe-down’ following my bunion op in mid-May, and more recently a fortnight’s ‘hibernation’ in quarantine after my visit to Adelaide. 

But then Father Bob used an image from C.S. Lewis’s books whenhe added,“Well when one door closes then you open the wardrobe door and go through and there is another Narnia. There’s another family, another bunch of friends.” I guess this struck me because that is exactly what I am in the process of doing - closing a door. This could possibly be the last service I lead here because I have recently made the very difficult decision to make a move over to Adelaide to be nearer my family and so have put my unit on the market. And I am trying to stay centred within a whirl of emotions - excitement for the future, questioning what the heck I’m doing, being daunted by the tasks ahead, but especially sadness at leaving so many wonderful friends and this church community which has meant so much to me. However I know my dark times have been more like shades of grey compared with many other people’s journeys this year. 

Then Ahn Do asked Father Bob “What is the key to happiness?”And he promptly replied “Helping other people to be happy. You know there is an African word ‘Ubuntu; meaning ‘I am because you are’ – I am because you are – that puts everything into perspective.” It does indeed – I know I am a far, far better person now for having encountered you all as a living Christ community over the past 22 years. Like the first son Jesus mentions in our gospel reading today, I know that I too procrastinated in responding to the call but what a privilege and blessing it has been to serve in the Wembley Downs, prison chaplaincy and Uniting Church vineyards. 

So as we move forward in these uncertain times I end now with two challenges to contemplate. One Grantchester’snew vicar gave his parishioners at the end of last week’s program -“Find the hope for the world we want to live in.” And the second from our epistle writer -“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ”an intention which we will be symbolising in our partaking of the bread of life and the wine of hope, as we too strive to become life and hope to others. Amen