What is it time for...?
By Andy Fleming, Associate Chaplain
Over the past week, our school has enjoyed Senior Drama’s performance of Macbeth, the Blessing of the Fleet at the Rowing Shed, Year 9 heading off to camp, and the Junior School’s Community Swim Day. Next week, Year 12 International Baccalaureate students begin their exams, the Secondary School will attend its Community Swim Day and Year 10 will go on camp the week after.
On top of our ‘normal’ weekly activities, Term 4 always has that edge to it as we head towards the plethora of end-of-year events. It is a time of year that is busier than usual for many of us, whether at work or in our personal lives.
As we head towards the pointy end of the year, the accumulation of commitments and associated tension and stress can leave us feeling drained and wondering why we do these things. Does it make a difference? What is the point? And so on…
The writer of the Old Testament book, Ecclesiastes, must have asked similar questions. The Hebrew word, “hevel”, can be translated in several ways. It means absurdity, meaninglessness to fleeting, and short-lived. Hevel is used 25 times in Ecclesiastes. However, instead of being sceptical and dissenting of God’s wisdom, the writer is showing us God orders the chaos. God has gifted us time and has made everything suitable for its time. Have you ever noticed how things appear to happen at a particular time and it just makes sense?
As we fill our time with commitments to our families and work, Ecclesiastes tells us to do the things we do to rest and recharge with enjoyment and delight, but also with humility. It is when we are anxious about what’s on our plate and accumulating work that we might lose sight of what’s important. Instead, approaching our time with humility helps us to see the opportunities that fall our way; to celebrate your child’s achievements and growth, enjoy the flourishing of nature as we head towards Christmas, and indeed, the time spent with families and friends.
So, I encourage you to enjoy and look forward to the time you have this term and the richness of the chaos that comes with it.
May
you find peace in God’s timing
Chaplain
Andy.
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Artist statement on "Chaos and Order", by Marcello Scattolini
Due to a previous disease,
A major part of my field of vision
has left me.
If on one hand,
fragility beats me,
on the other hand,
vicariance kiss me
as blessing.
Left-hand side depicts
inaccurate weakened vision,
how obscurity it is understood,
perceived,
uncertainty, fear, loneliness,
where I shake hands with disability and thoughts.
Chaos.
Right-hand side is a tribute
to the joys of vision, and above all,
the connection between humans, universe, color
and Light.
Order.