There is a phrase that younger people use at the moment that I quite like.

‘My bad’ is popular way of acknowledging you own fault if you have made a mistake.

Whilst this is grammatically questionable, I really warm to this honest expression that younger people have adopted.

As a ‘Gen X’ I can’t think of an equivalent phrase that admits fault with such ease. And as I think of generations older than myself I also struggle to recall such easy admission of mistake.

Instead often, if you do hear older people admitting fault, it is with a qualification:  ‘I am sorry but I didn’t know…’ or ‘I am sorry but it wasn’t my intention….’

It if refreshing that in our younger generations there appears to be a greater ease with self and with our fallible nature as humans.

Being able to actually see when we have been wrong, and being able to publicly name this is a mature, wise thing.   For we can only turn around from missing the mark when we are able to see that we have been way off track and acknowledge this.

Even though we may not choose to use the language of ‘Gen Y’, and those younger, by adopting the phrase ‘my bad’, I hope that we can share in a little of their courage to see things openly and admit our faults honestly.  For in being honest with our mistakes the potential for new learning and greater life is born.

Blessings on you in your journey,
Sal

Rev. Sally Douglas

I recently heard an interview on Radio National’s ‘All in the Mind’ about wisdom.  A panel of speakers had been gathered to share their reflections on the topic.  An excellent exploration unfolded on the nature of wisdom and within this the place of suffering was discussed.

Educationalist Edward de Bono (of the 6 hats fame), rather oddly suggested that the impact of suffering was like women wearing mascara.  He unpacked this seemingly rather patronising statement by saying that suffering, like mascara, highlighted the good bits.

Whilst I rarely wear mascara, and was at first taken aback by his comment, I warmed to his analogy.

In my own experience suffering has magnificently highlighted those things in life that are important, whilst at the same time significantly helping to put everything else into perspective.

In the most recent heavy suffering that I have endured- of watching our baby twins struggle for life and health after being born at 28 weeks, everything- what was important and what was not, came into sharp relief.

This continues.  After not being able to embrace our little ones as they lay in intensive care for what seemed like aeons, each embrace continues to be unspeakably precious.  Yes it is extremely busy, yes it is exhausting, but these things do not compare with the reality that could have been, of not having them here at all.

If we enter into suffering, if we allow ourselves to face it and express it, if we surrender to its flow- suffering can be an unbidden teacher.  I shed many a tear, I made pictures as I prayed, I wrote a great deal to help the sheer pressure of the pain out of my blood stream.

But I suspect there will always be an arrow shot through me. Maybe this is ok.  When I see or hear of other parents going through great suffering with their babies or little ones enduring difficult pain, a little of my heart bursts open again.

As the Christian Mystic Matthew Fox says:

‘Our nothingness experiences, are lessons in wisdom, preludes to compassion.  They put us in touch with the depths of others who also undergo the truth of nothingness of being…suffering can make our souls grow larger.’ The Coming of Cosmic Christ

There is no record of Jesus wearing mascara that I am aware of.  But in this One’s suffering the good bits are definitely highlighted.  Jesus radiates the kind of practical love that will not buy into the cycles of hate or envy that so dominate our culture. Jesus refuses to compete or put down or retaliate to other’s violence or toxicity.  In life, and most remarkably in death (and beyond) this One-Jesus, will not be shaped by what is ultimately not real or important.  Instead Jesus consistently exudes compassion.

And there is power in this for us- this is what resurrection is about.  A new way of being that is about liberation from all that is not important so that we can be more and more graced to live into the way of the ‘good bits’: wholeness and reconnection, empathic compassion and joy, inner peace and robust authenticity

Rev. Sally Douglas

What does Christianity mean when you are behind bars?  What are freedom, responsibility, repentance and new life about when you are incarcerated?

What is Jesus’ message of new life like for those in prison?  How is this message shared and how is this message heard?

Dynamic, thought provoking, faithful and down to earth prison chaplain Jenny Hayes will be speaking at Ballan Uniting Church Hall on Thursday March 11 at 1:30pm.

We are asking for a $5 dollar donation at the door, with all proceeds going towards prison chaplaincy.

Afternoon tea will follow this engaging conversation.

All are very welcome to attend.

This event is proudly hosted by the Ballan UCAF (Uniting Church Adult Fellowship)

Lately I have enjoyed getting into the garden when I can.  Often this has been in the early evening as the summer light lingers and the babes sleep.

In these moments it has been particularly satisfying to gently train some creepers.  One of these, the native ‘Happy Wanderer’, has been so prolific that I discovered that it had begun to twist in on itself, lapping over its own vines and getting tangled.

I hadn’t provided this plant a high enough lattice to grow up and so it had instead turned in on itself.  I have now attended to this, improvising with twisted wire and pliers.

However this plant’s growth led me to reflect on us. I think we humans can be the same.  Some of us are ‘fast’ growers, some of us are ‘slow and steady’ plants, yet most of us need a ‘lattice’.

We need to be supported and stretched: intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically too.  If we are not, we tend to start curling up; becoming tangled within our own heads, twisted in our feelings, stunted in our thoughts or actions.

The kind of ‘lattice’ supports that each of us need in our lives will vary.  These may be found in the arts, deep reading, sport, theology, prayer practices, serving others, education, puzzles, or for a holistic approach, perhaps all of these things combined.

We each need to be supported and stretched, for we have this inner impulse to grow and if we don’t grow up, we grow weary in body, mind or soul. \Whatever our ‘lattice’ is, I don’t think we will find it in continually collapsing in front of the telly or in surfing the net. Such things can be relaxing and distracting for a while, but ultimately they don’t satisfy. And, furthermore, it is when we think that we have arrived that we are in most danger of becoming completely stagnant.

No wonder that Jesus describes himself as ‘the Way’ and calls us on a journey of ongoing discovery, growth and discipleship – rather than to some illusionary, conceited mythology that we are already there.

Blessings on you, in your gardening and in your growing.  May you find the ‘lattice’ supports that you need, so that you can, day by day, grow into all that God dreams you to be.

Rev Sal Douglas

Live nativity scene at Daylesford Uniting Church Christmas 2009

The Word became flesh and lived among us.

The strange beautiful belief at the heart of Christianity, as eloquently expressed by the author of John’s Gospel: The Word became flesh and lived among us (John Chapter 1).

This is what we celebrate at Christmas.

That in mystery the Divine actually breaks into our reality, in person, in Jesus – The Word – the Wisdom of God.

Debates rage in some circles about whether there was a miraculous birth, whether a particularly special star graced the sky, whether hated sheep farmers (shepherds were mistrusted and despised in this culture) were the first to hear of the news of Jesus’ birth from angels.

However when we get hooked into these debates, arguing for these things or arguing against them, we can miss something of the profundity that is being pointed to here in these strange events recorded in the accounts of Jesus’ birth.

These events, that are rich in symbolism and resonance, reveal something of the nature of the Divine – as embodied in Jesus.

The Divine comes to us in Christ in utter humility – born homeless.

The Divine comes to us in Christ in extravagant inclusiveness – welcoming the outcasts.

The Divine comes to us in Christ in tender vulnerability – born to an unmarried woman in a strict patriarchal culture.

This is what Christians celebrate at Christmas: this humble, inclusive, vulnerable God who graces our earth in Jesus the Christ.

And this is the Divine who continues to grace our lives – continuing to heal us and ever calling us to be more and more Christ like: humble, radically welcoming and gently open.

Blessings on you at this time of celebrating the humble Word who comes among us.

Rev. Sally Douglas

Last week my car conked out on the stretch of forest road between Blackwood and Greendale.

It was a lovely Spring morning and the time of waiting for road side assistance gave space to enjoy the new tiny wild flowers, the light in the trees and some pondering prayer space.It was also lovely to be offered help by at least 5 different people who stopped to ask if I was ok.

This unexpected and oddly gracious morning was topped off by great conversation in the tow truck home (the car really had conked).  The tow truck driver and I talked about all kinds of things; life, travel, work and then he asked me a little more about my work. In particular, how I responded to people’s age old question about ‘why there is suffering in the world if there is a God…?’

I responded by sharing a recent dawning revelation:  Most people’s image of God is actually Santa.  They have an image of God as some big, old guy in the sky, with a beard who will reward you if you are good, and punish you if you are bad;  ‘so you better watch out..’ as the song goes!

Therefore when terrible things happen, many people assume that they somehow have deserved it.  Or, they rightly reject such notions.  However in the process of rejecting this understanding people can reject the possibility of God at all.

This understanding of God is far from the Divine I experience. This is also light years from the God that Jesus reveals.  Jesus says the great Parent God loves all and cares for all regardless of what they have done: bringing rain on the just and the unjust… (Matthew 5:43-48).

The night after the car conked, I watched a Doctor Who Christmas Special from a few years ago; the one with the Titanic space ship (this episode was replayed recently on ABC 2).   In this episode I was delighted to see that this same observation was made.

Alien travelers about to visit earth as tourists, are given a ‘brief’ on the planet.  Their guide explains that the people of earth worship their god Santa who punishes those who are bad, and rewards those who are good.  The tourist aliens are understandably horrified by such barbaric belief, even as the Doctor tries to explain that this is not quite the case.

So I wonder, when you think of God – the God you believe in or the God you reject – what is this God like?  Is there a waft of the red suit… or is your image of God informed by the life giving, radically loving God that Jesus embodies…? …I am very happy to say the car is now back on the road.  Thanks go out to all those who offered to help.

Blessings on your journey as we travel towards Christmas – the ancient Christian celebration feast of God coming to us in Jesus…

Sal

Rev. Sally Douglas

Spirituality has to do with the transfiguration of distance, to come near to ourselves, to beauty and to God.  At the heart of of spirituality is the awakening of real presence.  When you are truly present, you are there as you are: image and pretension are left aside.  Real presence is natural.  Perhaps the secret of spiritual integrity has to do with an act of acceptance, namely, a recognition that you are always already within the Divine embrace.

John O’ Donohue Divine Beauty – The Invisible Embrace, p. 237

A beautiful quote that speaks of authentic spirituality – at least as I have experienced it.  In this context, it comes as no surprise that Jesus speaks of the Holy One as father and that Jesus is recorded as saying that he longs to gather up the lost like a mother hen gathers up her chicks.  Jesus reveals an intimate loving parent God – beyond all the ghoulish fears that can haunt us.  The Divine’s Loving embrace is what we are invited into and called to awaken to.

Much of my work as a minister is seeking to create space for people, both as individuals and together, for this awakening to occur.  What a privilege to share in this deep ‘soul work’.

Blessings on you in your journey to authentic spirituality.

Rev. Sal Douglas

What a day.

The sun was shining in a way that we haven’t seen in months.

Some 90 people, from all walks of life and from every age group, got together in the paddock in Little Hampton outside the wooden Uniting Church.

We gathered in a circle; standing, sitting on hay bales, and on the ground, to focus together on this sacred earth.

Here in the silence we acknowledged the grief and the questions provoked by ongoing drought and the recent fires.  Here we shared with others, friends and strangers, what touches us in nature and offered our heartfelt thanks to the Source of all in word and song.  Here we also shared our concerns for the earth and the longings of our hearts for its better care, together we offered these in prayers.

This was sacred time: diverse people relating with respect and dignity, sharing hearts bursts with one another and the Divine.

And all the while, a little toddler played with the bowl of water in the centre of the circle. Oblivious to the notion that this might not be on, she washed river pebbles and drank from the water.  This was beautiful.  For me, this was a fabulous image and reminder of how Jesus calls us to be.  Jesus says in the bible that if we want to ‘get it’ we need to become like a little child.  I don’t think this is a call to be naive, or ‘childish’, but instead to get free from our fears of ‘what others might think of us’.  It is an invitation into trusting and resting in God’s energy, and in the midst of it all letting ourselves dare to play – to enjoy this sacred gift of life.

Mature Christian faith has a great deal to say about this beautiful earth.  Beyond simply accepting or rejecting literalist interpretations of the Bible, there is a profoundness in this ancient text and tradition that points to some essentials.  Here we find the affirmation that the earth is good and blessed, that we are called to radical non-violence, and in this context, humanity has unique responsibility to work for the earth’s care.

And in all of this, like the little toddler in our midst, we are invited to savour this sacred earth with joyful abandon.

Thank you to all who made Prayers in the Paddock such a gift.

Blessings on your journey,
Rev. Sal Douglas

As I journey around I meet many people.  When people discover that I am a minister often interesting conversations evolve.  Fairly regularly people share with me that they are spiritual people, or that they believe in God, but that they do not go to church.

Not all, but many, of these people then go on to share that they used to attend worship at some point in their life but had negative experiences of the church.  They found church (in its variety of flavours) to be a place where they, or others, were judged and not welcomed.

I am not surprised when I hear of such experiences, but I am always disappointed and a little enraged.  It is so ironic that Christians (Christ-Ones),  people who follow the way of Jesus, would become known for their narrow mindedness and judgemental attitudes. This is tragic, not only because such attitudes are not life-giving, but also because it stands in such contrast to Jesus, the one at the heart of our faith, who is so constantly welcoming, loving and open.

My hope is that Prayers in the Paddock is the kind of space that is truly open and welcoming to all.  So that everyone, those who attend church regularly and those who never usually go near such places can feel safe to come, be themselves, express their concerns for their earth, explore their spirituality and their relationship with the Divine.

If you want to be part of this day you are welcome.

To join in the liturgy for the earth come at 11:00am.  If you want to offer prayers, hopes or thoughts in private, come for as long, or as little, as you like between 12 midday and 4:30pm.

Cheers and blessings on your journey,

Rev. Sal Douglas

You hear these amazing stories of Jesus.  How Jesus heals people, teaches people, basically is just compassionate with everyone.  The readings this week across the Church reflect this (Mark 6:30-34, 53-56).

You might imagine these scenes in your own mind; Jesus with the crowds.  Maybe you have pictured yourself in the crowd from time to time, walking alongside Jesus hanging on every word, asking great questions.

But something to ponder, especially for ‘church goers’, is would we have turned up?

Jesus keeps on spending time with the people on the edges; those who seem lost, those who are sick, those who I reckon would have been a little rough around the edges.

I wonder how many ‘church goers’ would feel that comfortable with this ‘raggle taggle’ group of people?

One of my favourite hymns, the old African American Spiritual, goes ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord’, well there is a prior question to this: ‘Were you there when Jesus hung out with the people you don’t feel that comfortable with…?’

Ironically perhaps, in light of what the Church has been like over the centuries, the God of Christian faith actually calls us out of the confines of our own ‘groups’ into a much broader way of living and loving.  A way of life in which the boundaries come down and we welcome friends and strangers as sacred; the ones in whom we may meet angels and encounter the Divine.

So do we dare live into this way of Jesus or would we rather just read about it?

Just a thought, were we there…

Rev. Sally Douglas