Our Service of Peace
On the steps of the old Pitt Street Uniting Church
lingering autumn leaves remain
under the hanging banner across the portal
We cry out for Gaza
Peace and Justice in Palestine
Welcome and cozy inside with a restive unified quiet.
A brightly burning candle sits on a centred table
amidst many more awaiting to be lit.
and three burnished gold banksia flowers
apt for a winter scene
Our leader Stephanie warm
in a soft melon pink cloak
led with words of ancient wisdom
The Taoist peace of prayer :
If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbours.
If there is to be peace between neighbours,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart. – Lao-tsu. .
Next even more ancient is the wisdom of the Upanishhade
((the philosophical core of ancient Indian Vedas) with the Shanti mantra ending in the OM
Lead us from the unreal to the real,
Lead us from darkness to light,
Lead us from death to immortality.
Om, Peace, Peace, Peace!
Mantras
From the Baha’i Teaching
“Look on all creation with a friendly eye.A beautiful sentiment often reflecting a shift toward compassion, peace, and mindfulness.
From George Fox founder of the Quakers “Walk cheerfully over the world”
( recognise the spark of the Divine in everyone.)
And finally St Francis :
‘Make me a channel of your peace . . .
Music
On original instruments carried us into a peaceful other world
Hildegard chant by an amazing soprano and Kim Curio playing the psaltery (a harp-like zither),
and other chants and song backed by a one stringed drone lute possibility called an erhu
and tiny bells .
During the meditation tiny bells
sounded all around the room giving a mystical feel .
Meditation for inner Peace.
Stephanie began . . A wise teacher has said,
“ Look through the eye of the Beloved and you will see the Beloved everywhere.’
let me see myself in the eyes of the beloved .
Lighting the candles we shared the tapers.
Playing of light in our heart of peace.
Final reflection.
Our call to go forward : Remember why we are here. , our purpose and perspective
The parable of the Three Stone Cutters.
A weary traveler happens upon three men chipping away at massive blocks of stone in the hot sun
and asks each of them, “What are you doing?”
The First Stonecutter: Grunting and wiping sweat from his brow, he answers,
“I am making a living.”He is focused entirely on the paycheck, viewing his work simply as a mandatory exchange of time for money. [1]
The Second Stonecutter: He hammers away methodically and replies,
“I am doing the best job of stonecutting in the entire country.”
He takes immense pride in his craftsmanship and his own skill, though his focus is highly individualistic.
The Third Stonecutter: Looking up at the traveler with a gleam of inspiration, he smiles and says,
“I am building a cathedral.” He may never see the finished structure in his lifetime,
but he is deeply engaged and satisfied because he knows his daily, repetitive task contributes to a grander mission. [
Our take out: we are all three stone-cutters. Which one do you want to be?
(AI take away The moral of the story is that meaning transforms the grind. While you need a living and strong craftsmanship to get the job done, anchoring your daily tasks to a larger ‘cathedral’ or purpose provides the energy, focus, and long-term fulfilment needed to excel)
Thank you to Dr.Stephanie Dowrick
for her New Year initiative of the poetry and photography.
Hafez Shirazi