From the Chaplains
This week in the Secondary schools we celebrated Diversity Week, Boarders’ Week and Pentecost Sunday. We have looked at the story of Pentecost, which is the birth of the Christian Church; it is an interesting and powerful story as told by the Apostle Luke in Acts. It communicates the reversal of the story of the power of Babel – a story which tells us why people are divided by language, and in the story of Pentecost, whilst people speak different languages, they are brought together and unified by the Spirit of God. It is the original unity, though not uniformity, and diversity, but not division.
The story of Pentecost, the birth of the Church, also speaks of human beings now being God’s living temples. God is to be known, experienced and heard through one another. This story communicates the call to honour God, by honouring those we share our homes and our worlds with. Dogma and doctrine are good and important, but there is nothing more important than the call to love one another. This week we have acknowledged that for our Boarders. While our Boarding community is a very loving and supporting community, there is no place like home with their families, pets and their own space. There are many positives: one is the new family and home away from home, which they develop and grow into. Living on campus means for many taking advantage of many of the opportunities offered here at the College. It is also, however, a unique experience – and we know their families miss them very much. You have left them in good hands.
I would like to offer a prayer for our community. Loving God, we thank you for the diversity which exists within this community at Pymble. Families, students and staff from different parts of the globe, with various cultural and religious heritages – and a variety of languages spoken in homes. Like the day of Pentecost, while perhaps diverse may we be at one with each other as we are with you. May you hold us together, teach us to love one another and to honour what is sacred in our lives, by honouring those we share our communities with.
Blessings in Christ
Rev Lorenzo
Reverend Lorenzo Rodriguez Torres