Two years ago, in the summer of 2019 to 2020 Australia experienced the worst fires in modern history. Estimates of up to 3 billion animals have died according to the WWF. Whilst 17 million hectares were burnt down according to government estimates.
For the past 2 Christmases Australians have been blind-sided by the COVID pandemic. We have been asked to isolate and this year epidemiologists recommended us to isolate again.
Before the Christmas break, I was speaking to the gardener of the school I teach in. He was saying that in early 2022 he would have to quit his job as he can longer afford to live in Sydney. With astronomical living costs. It called me to question “how are we treating families and how are we treating the poor in our decisions”?
Whilst speaking to one of the year 9 students, she questioned me, “sir, are we going into another lockdown? I don’t know how I will survive another 3 months in lockdown?” I sensed a great fear in her.
As Marists, and as Christians, we are called to respond. To actively listen to the plight of the world and our own community. Not with magical answers that will sweep away our sufferings, but with patience and an openness that brings a sense of God’s presence.
Over the past few months, I have been coming to the land of the Darug Aboriginal people of the Great North Walk on the edge of Sydney in the mornings. Calling people to join me in prayer and meditation.
For Aboriginal people the land is sacred. It is a living force. They term the land “their Mother”. It provides healing. It provides life. It reminded me of the Marist sense towards God. As a mother.
The senior Australian of the year, Dr Miriam Rose, Aboriginal Elder, teaches the wisdom of Dadirri. Of Deep listening.
Miriam Rose says
“To know me, is to breathe with me. To breathe with me, is to listen deeply. To listen deeply, is to connect. It is a sound. The sound of deep calling to deep. Dadirri. The deep inner spring inside each of us. We call on it, and it calls on us. We are river people. We cannot hurry the river. We need to move with the current and understand its ways. We wait for the rain to fill our rivers. and water our thirsty earth. We watch our bush foods, and wait for them to open, before we gather them. We wait for our young people as they grow. The time for re-birth is now. If our culture is alive and strong , and respected, it will grow, it will not die. I believe that the spirit of Dadirri that we have to offer, will blossom and grow. Not just within ourselves But in our whole nation”.
May we seek and wait like Mary for Jesus to be born in us today this Christmas.
May we bring all our gifts that God has given us to dream big. God’s dream for us, in our community, in our family and in our Earth.
Pour out your gifts upon us Lord. May we be like the people of Pentecost. Daring enough to learn different languages and different ways of doing, and different ways of being. May we share these gifts this Christmas.
