Still more they...

The personal they that we don't know...


People who are anti-gay use the word they all the time. "The things they do..." - used to shock us or vilify gay people. I know people who seem to have so much fear about gay people, that these straight people seem to have the impression that every gay man "wants them!" Relax, you're probably not their type... you can be sure you're probably not that good looking anyway!


We can use they easily, when we don't know the they personally (and mostly, we like it that way): we can have a distance and a non-relationship behind which we hide! I admit it: I used to be like this... Good Christian upbringing in a good 'straight' (fairly tough, blokey) neighbourhood where gay people were easily rejected, vilified or even attacked. I had close relationships with girls at school; this sometimes meant I was called 'gay' -the irony being that I was getting more heterosexual contact than those "bully-boys" were!


Thing is: I grew up, moved away! I met people, I diversified my friendships... and my theology... and then the most magical thing happened. I had some great friends (who were gay, but I didn't know it) and got to know some gay people really well (but I didn't know they were gay). I made new friends wherever I lived and got 'close' to people. Then! After I had an established friendship with them - they were no longer they. But it turned out they were gay! That's when I realised, you can't call someone a they when you know them, you've walked along a journey with them, they're friends of yours, you care for them, you know they're just normal people, with struggles and frustrations and laughter - just like you!

That doesn't make me gay, it doesn't mean that my gay friends find me attractive: LOL! It doesn't change anything... those friends I know who are gay, were gay before I met them. Some of them, I didn't know were gay... some lived with a terrible fear for years until something gave them courage to "come out." But I can tell you this - I carry the guilt of begin judgmental towards they - but once they turns into someone I actually knew; actually friends with! I changed! I hope all people do! Now I sometimes feel a twinge of my own shame... but a bucket load of gratitude towards those gay friends of mine, who accept me exactly as I am... and who taught me to accept others!
 Peter Hotchkin
Posted by "just call me Jonah"

They... at Easter

On the first Easter Sunday, Mary Magdalene (John 20 v 1-18) is at the tomb very early. Before dawn has broken! It's why we ought to have an Easter Vigil service at 5.30am... light a big hobo fire-place... light the parish's Paschal Candle... renew our Baptismal promises... be splashed with Baptismal water (using a Aspergillum)... and generally have a joyful experience of Easter! "A Resurrection Sunday" - some people would probably prefer to call it that because that removes any connection to Eastre, fertility or pagan festivals that occur around that time of the lunar year.

Mary Magdelene says, "do you know where my Lord has gone because they have taken him away. It wasn't they after-all. The Christian story is that he took himself away... or at least that the they who resurrected Jesus was God.

Peter Hotchkin
Posted by "just call me Jonah"

Chrism Eucharist

As we're approaching Holy Week, my thoughts turn to the annual Chrism Eucharist. A very important part of the Church Calendar! Important to Clergy everywhere; but also to me.



I love Holy Week! It's a busy time, but also a time of important religious observance and personal service to other. The services: Stations of the Cross, Foot washing, using up any/all the reserve Sacrament, and getting ready for the Holiest Day of the year... It is an opportunity to serve and prepare. A time of the ministry of word and sacrament!


On Tuesday (3 April 2012), it is the annual Chrism Eucharist for the Diocese of Perth. If you have never attended, you don’t even have to be an Anglican. It’s well worth watching! People watch Royal Weddings and ANZAC services, but this is something that you can attend!


For those in Perth, Chrism Eucharist is at St George’s Cathedral in Perth on Tuesday, 3 April 2012 at 12 noon! But most other Dioceses will have a Chrism Eucharist... look up your own if you’re not in Perth. It is a holy worship service where the Clergy of the Diocese (including Deacons, Priests, Bishops and the Archbishop) renew their vows. As you no doubt imagine, I have read these vows hundreds of times... I don't think one should embark on offering for formation without actually doing the homework. Although I know some people do...


At the Chrism Eucharist, the oils for liturgical and pastoral use for the next year are consecrated by my Archbishop: the oil of Chrism for Baptisms (a vital symbol of Baptism) and the oil for reconciliation and healing.


In the past, I said that I probably have a morbid fascination to ensure the Clergy remind themselves of their vows. But this year, I feel a huge sense of sorrow in attending. I haven't had much progress towards what I firmly believe is God's calling to Priestly Vocation. Only that the whisper of a voice from God will not go away! I no longer (as the Blog title suggests) actively run away from God's calling. Now, I'm blocked from it by others’ decisions (albeit supposedly temporarily only).


I shall be attending, as I do virtually every year. But it will be a sad time for me this year (more than usual). I hope my friends, who support me in this calling, will pray for me at this time. Pray also for those who are charged with the responsibility to decide on the future of people who offer for formation into Clergy.


Peter Hotchkin
Posted by "just call me Jonah"

Palm Sunday

This Sunday is Palm Sunday (after which Holy Week begins). I couple of weeks back; I had to get my rosters at Church swapped due to a short-notice change. The Baptism of my niece's son sprung up upon us and it coincided with the week I was 'on duty' for everything! So I had to call upon the kindness of others.


But I was able to secure the Palm Sunday rosters instead. This is great for me because I love to serve people and to serve in the house of God. My parish Priest has decided, much to my pleasure, that we'll be doing a full processional (the whole figure of 8). For those non-Anglicans, we start outside the Church building, we have readings, prayers and of course a happy bunch of people (hopefully if you have young families, excited children too). So after the Procession of the Palms, I'm taking the Kids Spot first up.


For some reason, the person rostered on was overwhelmingly please to swap Palm Sunday. She was happy to cover me a couple of weeks back and that was fine and generous. But she really didn't want to do Palm Sunday... she felt it was all too much responsibility. I think it's quite a privilege to lead the Kids Spot for important dates. I did Easter last year and steered well away from the oft-used "look: the big Easter egg is empty, just like the tomb..." story.


Anyway, I'm leading the service as LA and assisting at the Eucharist with preparations and then administering the sacrament in the Chalice. We also have the Baptism of the child of some friends from the parish so I am in my "liturgical element" as far as Sunday is concerned. Holy Week is here!




Peter Hotchkin
Posted by "just call me Jonah"

Maternal instincts

Mrs Smiley has been 'de-cluttering' lately.  She found a doll that had its arm broken completely off!  As every good 'de-clutterer' will know: don't keep broken things!

Not content to put the dolly in the bin, Mrs Smiley ripped its head off so she could remove and keep the dress!

Little princess (4 years old) cried and cried and cried (as you would at the decapitation of one of your fav dolls).  Mrs Smiley agrees, with the little princess' help, to rescue the doll from the bin.

"But what about her arm, Mummy? We have to get that too!"
"We can't honey... It's completely broken off! We can't fix it." replied Mum.

Crown prince chips in: "We can pretend she was a shark attack victim!"
Who says seven year olds don't listen to the news...?

Peter Hotchkin
Posted by "just call me Jonah"

Feel the love...

Steve Irwin came up in a school project:


Daughter (4) says, "Does Bindi Irwin miss her dad since he died?" 
[Yes, said daughter does have an unhealthy obsession with death.]


I reply, "Yes I'm sure Bindi does miss her dad.  Wouldn't you miss me if I died?"
***uncomfortably long silence follows... ***


Son (7) interjects, "I would miss you dad if you died: but I would miss mum more. I hope you die first..."




Peter Hotchkin 
Posted by "just call me Jonah"

More they...

They is a great way to keep the focus off one's self and what one should do. It helps us to take off the responsibility that is probably ours - and transfer it to someone who is face-less and non-descried. They are nebulous people who we don't know... We can't confront them directly and ask them or offer some constructive advice.  We can just blame them.

In current affairs, we hear they: to describe Asylum Seekers. Firstly, we hear elected representatives (politicians) talk about being an Asylum Seeker as if that's a crime. These people will be detained on Christmas Island because they've been charged with "seeking asylum in a democratically free country." We see the strategies employed by politicians to "protect our borders" from these "invaders".  These strategies are called "the --- solution."  A solution to used to resolve a problem - not to avoid a responsibility...

But then, that's just the way they do it... and we don't want to confront they - so we're implicit in the solutions that they use for the problems they perceive.

I only wish this criticism didn't apply to me... but I am implicit in these solutions too, because I am the they I love to blame.

Peter Hotchkin
Posted by "just call me Jonah"

They...

There’s a lot of “they” about you know?
They are the ones who do stuff… and they ought to as well! It's what they should do!
Have you ever heard someone say, “They should do something about that…” Usually the person speaking finishes the sentence: “They should do something about that... road or bridge or lake or park or shop or something else…”
Sometimes, the sentence is condemning: “They should do something about that man or person.”
Sometimes the sentence is vague, “They should do something about that law.”
Mostly, it’s not an answer or solution… rather it's that someone else should it!

That’s where we want they to come in… I wish they would hurry up too!

I don't want to do anything about it; they should! It's their job.

Peter Hotchkin
Published by "just call me Jonah"