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“To this they answered,
‘Are you a Galilean too?
Go into the matter,
and see for yourself:
prophets do not come out of Galilee.’ John 7
I’m reminded of the cartoon: the speaker asking the crowd “who wants change?” Every hand was raised. Panel two showed the speaker asking a second question “who wants to change?” Not one hand was raised.
To live is to change. Our bodies speak this clearly. Every day there’s a new development, a new ache or infirmity, a growth or a healing.
Change is evidence of life.
In my seminary years we had to find jobs for the summer months (November – February) to pay our seminary fees. It was a part of the year I really looked forward to. Over the years I was a farmer, a factory worker, a barman and served one summer in an office. While some of these jobs were pretty routine and undemanding, each of them gave an opportunity to spend good time with great people whose life’s vocation was in families in the the city, countryside, in cafes, bars and at desks.
The three-month Christmas break was a time to see, to experience for ourselves.
The summer job that came to mind when I read the “prophets do not come of Galilee” passage was my twelve-hour a day six days a week at the Watties factory in Washdyke just north of Timaru where for twelve weeks I watched french-fries pass on a conveyor belt. My job was to pick out the stained and damaged ones.
After a week I learnt not to expect anything from the job, certainly not any job satisfaction. How could anything interesting happen watching french fries pass?
But then I realised that every day there was something to learn, and this always happened after I made an early-morning decision as I was biking down Old North Road for the 6.00am shift. This daily decision was encouraged by a wise teacher who reminded us that we were not working primarily to get money but to enter the life of others more deeply and see for ourselves how others worked, thought, acted, worried and hoped.
If I hadn’t developed this taste for seeing for myself I may not learnt that prophetic voices can come from anywhere and everywhere and anyone – especially those who would not describe themselves as people of faith.
I’m forever grateful for these unexpected and often surprising prophetic voices in my life.
The old catechism was right: Where is God? God is everywhere.
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Send your date and time to add to the list, and just turn up at at one of the advertised gatherings, just one hour, focussing on where we are encountering Christ.
CHRISTCHURCH
Monday 7 April 10.00am (& every Monday)
Moku cafe, Bush Inn Centre Waimairi Road.
Invitation from Trish
NEW PLYMOUTH
Thursday 10 April, 10.00am, (note change of day)
Stumble Inn, 200 Mangorei Road New Plymouth
Invitation from Joan
I love this story! While a secondary and tertiary student I had a variety of holiday jobs Fr John, including eight and twelve hour days at a car parts warehouse, binning, picking, packing, annual stock-take. While regular staff were on holiday I helped sometimes in the cafeteria, with a week in the office. Later in life I’ve delivered early newspapers, engaged in exam supervision, and election day/week work, among other things. I value those opportunities to work with people from all walks of life, to meet God everywhere. Thanks again.
Thank you once again Fr. John.
Your reflection triggered many past memories, one in particular, working at McLeod Bros. soap factory in Dunedin as a fourteen year old high school student and making the decision that I would never end up in a mindless job like that full time. This taught me the importance of what I was going to do with my life. The next was as a lift operator, God showed me about the sin of pride. Out of that experience, came a job working with a dentist, the best boss I ever had. Life has many learning curves and many wonderful people to teach us, if we are open to hearing God through others.