Bishop’s News
Bishop Justin Duckworth
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12.1-2 (NIV)
Kia ora,
I had a moment last month where my past caught up with me. I walked into Thorndon New World and saw an elderly gentleman. I thought “I know who you are, but it can’t possibly be you.”
The gentleman in question was my philosophy lecturer from my Victoria University BA Hons days – Associate Professor Jay Shaw. It was one of those moments when you realise that when you are young you think that everyone over the age of 30 is ancient. And that you are now old too.
What impressed me as a student was his sheer, contagious love for what he did, far beyond a simple job. As students he invited us around to his house where we sat and ate together and talked philosophy into the evening.
30 years on, thankfully it wasn’t too awkward, as he also recognised me. We talked, caught up, exchanged phone numbers and emails. It was a good moment.
It’s made me reflect since on the people who have formed our lives, and those who invested in us above and beyond. None of us are who we are because of our own brilliance but we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.
Many of us are familiar with the structure of a pepeha, but as a reminder, that there is no ‘ko wai au?’, no ‘who am I?’ without locating that belonging within the broader whakapapa of the people and places who have come before us. And that we introduce ourselves last; off the back of all that has made us who we presently are. The preceding chapter of the Hebrews passage above does just that; outlining those who followed God in faith from generation to generation.
This month we will begin the process of ordaining a host of wonderful new deacons and priests. We look forward to recognising their ‘yes’ to Jesus. They’ll play their own part in becoming part of the faith journeys of others. But that call is not just defined to those who wear a collar. We’ve just celebrated All Saints after all, and the clue is in the name. I’m fairly convinced that, for those of us who are long in the tooth, when we look back we can see a huge mix of men, women, lay, ordained, of all walks of life, who were the hands and feet of Jesus for us and helped us on our way.
I wonder who is part of your ‘great cloud of witnesses’ that made you who you are? And then, because we are not so egotistical to think that the world stops with us, I wonder who in the future will say that we, in turn, make up part of their great cloud? What’s the next step that we need to take for them, right now?
+Justin
