Chaplain's Message

In his autobiography, The Quest for Grace, one time Melbourne Grammar student and eminent Australian historian Manning Clark talked out the different teachers he had experienced as a young man – distinguishing between those people he termed “life-straighteners” and those who were for him “life enlargers”, between those people who have a very measured, narrow view of life and want to contain it, and those who love the banquet of life with a passion and want to share it with others.

To be a “life enlarger” is surely the aspiration of all teachers and educators. If we look back on our own lives as students, I am sure we can identify our best teachers as those who were “life-enlargers” for us. C.Gleeson after dinner speech to Xavier-Melbourne Grammar Staff.

I loved this thought-provoking passage! Although Gleeson is referring to teachers, it actually applies to us all. The question we can ask ourselves – are we life-enlargers??

We are so blessed to have a couple of weeks to rest and recuperate as teachers, may we reflect on our approach to life and others. May we have the grace to make room for God’s creativity in our lives, for his love and acceptance as we make room for others to be the very best they can be.

Go safely and have time to ponder: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

~ Pastor Sarah Pollitt

College Chaplain