Category: Uncategorized
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The People of Pentecost
Today I find myself studying the ancient Biblical Hebrew language in a cafe, sitting next to two girls in hijabs on lunch break from the Muslim High School across the street. The waitress – a boisterous, punk, pink-haired barista – is learning French from her colleague who immigrated from France when she serves me my…
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The Way
What ifthe waythe truththe lifewas not some threadbare pathinvisible to the naked eyesomewhere far awayand up highsomething you have to work foror something you have to buy? What if the way was where you already arewaiting to be exploredwaiting for you to take off your loadto bare, instead, a yoke so easy so lightlike a…
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Becoming
I wonder what it would be like to move slowly in this worldto be a snail and find home in memy curvesmy shellthe delicacy of my flesh.To leave an imprint of myselfas I travel subtlysmoothlysimplyon the sun-beaten cement. To find places of solace on a stonebetween slivers and grooves of a cedarlearning to staybeing grateful…
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A New Name
I’m done with ‘God’, ‘Jesus’, ‘Christ’, ‘Lord’, ‘King’, ‘Father’.Can’t take it any longer. I’m letting all of you goso you might relax, too, and be freed from constantly being a show. Now what if I called you ‘flow’‘The tingling’‘The gut’‘The sensation’‘The pull’?What if I called you ‘compassion’ and ‘acceptance’?What if I called you ‘My seeing’‘My hearing’‘The…
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in something small
Salvation is not triumphant.Sometimes it is as subtle as the cleaners,the cooksand the kind people who take away our garbage. Sometimes it is as silent as a good night’s sleep,the gardener down the street,the podiatrist who cleans all kinds of feet. Sometimes it is as still as a windless day,a rock buried within clay,having nothing…
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Just one leper
Turn back.Remember your skinso soft and serenewas made cleanwhen you had faith that you were seenbeheld, beloved and believed in. Turn backRemember your heartwas made to sing like a larkto prostrate your lifeand all your deepest longingsin a lullabyfrom your lungs to where you lie. Turn backRemember your souland its songs of thanksgivingso sweet and…
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The Samaritan in our Census
(painting by Banksy) Last week the results of the 2021 census revealed many things about our Australian culture. Australia has increased by over 2 million people since the last census in 2016, mostly due to immigration. This means Australia is becoming more diverse with more people speaking different languages and practicing different cultures. The silent…
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A Triumphal Ecstasy
Take off your cloaklay it downon this groundamidst the silent slumber of rocks all aroundcolour threaded into colourweaving warmth and wonder togetherso that sun might kiss your skinso that you might begin againto singto vibrate withinawakeningthe sleeping rocks to joyous clamoringof ecstasy and complete surrenderto beauty and even terror.
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These Boxes
When I was a child I was given boxes to grow intolike sinewon bone so my identity might takesome sort of shapein the chaos of society’s landscape. And as I grew these boxes defined mereminding mewho I was resigned to be.This helped a little so I might know how to cross the streetso I might…
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Reclaiming the Reptilian
Sometimes the world feels like it is against me. I admit I contribute to this rivalry: intensifying the fight more than I might need to. But I can’t help it, or it feels like I can’t. Or I haven’t yet mastered the tools of disarming my reptilian brain. Like a wild animal, my hair stands…
by Rev Alisha 