True Grit

This movie I went to this week lives up to it's title. It is a western re-make of a John Wayne movie of the same name.

A number of lessons can be drawn from this tough movie.

• Experience and trusting relationships go a long way in life. 
• What you sow you reap - you get out what you put in
• Sometimes stuff happens that is not just, not fair, not able to be handled as it is too hard to face - this may not mean anything to others. How we respond to it however, can effect the rest of our lives.
• We rely on one another to just get by sometimes.
• Drive, purpose, focus, and willing helpers or supporters, will get us where we want to go.

In the end it is about revenge and 'justice' in an old testament kind of way. The space to grow I guess is the emptiness we can experience without God. Without the experience of love, our lives can seem meaningless, empty, a struggle, and we slowly withdraw.

The challegne of course is to have 'true grit' and to ask for what we need, to expect the outcome we desire and work like heck to make sure it happens, to let love in, to trust and to care. At this point really amazing things happen.

At the end of the movie, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) finds resolution in caring about another who cannot repay him, being part of a purpose worth living for, worth dying for.  Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) finds justice for her dad and more importnatly, finds a father figure she lost.

What does it have to do with religious education?
Redemption, the power of purpose that comes from caring for others, relationships matter, and that these things make life deep and rich.

God bless
Pa Richard

Prefects Commissioning

This Friday we have a service to Commission our school prefects.

While each prefect plays a lead role in specific areas of the school life, it is important to keep in mind that the commissioning also reflects or symbolizes for us our 'Co - Mission -ing' to be disciples of Christ.

To be those who do our best to follow 'the way'. And in essence, as the Gospel tells us, is "to love one another".

We celebrate this as a school and in Chapel for this reason. Some of the words you will hear on Friday is the response to questions by the prefects that says, 'I will with God's Help'.

This too is significant. My friends, it is hard enough saving ourselves don't you think, let alone not allowing our friends and families to help us in life, well God plays a part in this if we are open.

We used to have a place on Rakino Island in the Hauraki Gulf just behind Rangitoto and Motutapu islands, and one of our friends who had a place (it was very wild in those days) and I remember after he had helped do some jobs for us, and mum thanked him and he replied, "Thats alright, it's all part of it".
Lets make an effort this term to help one another, to fulfill our co-mission to love.

Enjoy this 'Leadership Lessons' video!

See you soon
Pa Richard

Maori Spirituality

Tihewa mauri ora! I sneeze, I am alive!
What a wonderful expression, to anyone who has heard it used near the beginning of a speech on a Marae, it is beautiful.

What does it mean to be a live, and with spirit, fully alive? I will just give the English translation of another Maori saying, "What will it take to wake you from your sleep, to the blossoming of your dreams?"

When Jesus cam into the lives of almost anyone who touched him, heard him, watched him, he changed their lives forever. not in a short term way, but with love that gave life. We might say, he woke them up.


He woke them up to the possibilities for them in life, woke them up to fully realise their 'Tapu', their potentiality for being, (I'll try and make it understandable sorry)

He woke them to the fact that they were loved. That they could connect with the creative power of the universe, God, the creator of all things. All possibility is theirs, is ours.

Rev. Henare Tate coined the phrase, that the "Goal of all ritual (Maori) is to acknowledge, enhance, and restore the *Tapu of people, so that they might have the *Mana to achieve their goals, short and long term".

So I finish how I started, what distracts you from a life lived in abundance as Christ promised?
What will it take to wake you to a life that truly satisfies?

The definitions below are not definitive, but indicate a proximate understanding. Each Iwi (People) and Kaumatua (elder) will define what it means for their people.
*Tapu

The Rev. Maori Marsden discusses tapu at some length, not least to dispel some misconceptions about the concept held by early missionaries and anthropologists. He describes it thus:
The Maori idea of tapu is close to the Jewish idea translated in the words 'sacred' and `holy', although it does not have the later ethical connotations of the New Testament of moral righteousness.
It has both religious and legal connotations. A person, place or thing is dedicated to a deity and by that act it is set aside or reserved for the sole use of that deity. The person or object is thus removed from the sphere of the profane and put into the sphere of the sacred. It is untouchable, no longer to be put to common use. It is this untouchable quality that is the main element in the concept of tapu. In other words, the object is sacred and any profane use is sacrilege, breaking the law of tapu.

*Mana
Williams' A Dictionary of the Maori Language lists eight meanings for mana, providing the following possible translations:
I . Authority, control
2. Influence, prestige, power
3. Psychic force 4. Effectual, binding, authoritative
5. Having influence or power
6. Vested with authority
7. Be effectual, take effect
8. Be avenged.
These translations, however, do not describe the source of mana nor how mana is
upheld and maintained. The result is an unfortunate distortion of the real meaning of mana, which is inextricably based in the spiritual realms of the world.

Christmas at Te Tii Marae, Waitangi 2010

A Football Club with Heart and Spirit

FC Barcelona is a sports club with a proud tradtion. One of their great strengths is that the people of Barcelona literally 'OWN' 51% of the club. Most of the players are developed and coached from young people at the club. This has led to a team unity where everyone contributes and gives their best. Unity among players from many countries and languages works becuase they learn humilty, that is , we are all equal, I help you and I know if I need it, you will be there for me.

Go Barca!

What is cool?

This video by Russell Simon is worth thinking about as he looks at the meaning of cool, the power of meditation and how to have happiness and 'be cool' in life.

Religious Education Rocks!

Seriously! Real!
I can make this audacious claim because I know that at the heart of what e are learning is all about relationships, with yourself, others, the past, God, our dark side, our desire for growth, basically, its about who we are as people. Good people!

So welcome to the St Hilda's R.E programme for all year groups.

I am excited to go on your journey with you and see where we end up. Be brave, trust yourself to discover how wonderful a life we have been gifted to explore, to love, and to learn.

God Bless
Pa Richard

Religious Education for Years 7 -13 at SHCS Dunedin