From the Chaplain

100% Faithfulness

Like many children, I was brought up on a diet of Dr Seuss:  Green Eggs and Ham (sadly, those were never part of the actual family diet!), The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, The Cat In The Hat.....and many others.  But my favourite was (and still is) Horton Hatches The Egg.   As the story goes, Maisie the bird gets sick of sitting on her egg and persuades Horton the elephant to take her place for a little while (‘I won’t be gone long, sir – I give you my word!’).  However, that ‘little while’ becomes longer…and longer… and longer, with Horton sitting dutifully on the nest, while Maisie enjoys her freedom.  

Despite enduring storms, hunters, scorn from onlookers, and other discomforts and embarrassments, Horton has a constant mantra: “I meant what I said, and I said what I meant.  An elephant’s faithful, one hundred percent!”  Eventually, Horton’s faithfulness is rewarded (well, sort of) when the egg finally hatches.  Out comes a creature that is half-bird, half-elephant – to the dismay of lazy Maisie!

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all echo Horton’s words as confidently as he does, in our own lives?  100% faithfulness – in our promises, our loyalties, our relationships, our commitments?! Sadly we know that’s not the case: conflicting motives and desires in ourselves are just two of the things that contribute to our lack of faithfulness.  Too often I disappoint myself by my ‘faithfulness failures’ – and I know I’m not alone.

Yet, in the midst of those failures I can take comfort – as we all can – in knowing that it isn’t just an elephant in a children’s book who is ‘faithful one hundred percent’.  The Bible tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  Even in the face of the faithlessness of others, including his closest friends, Jesus was faithful to doing all that was needed – 100%! – for us to be reconciled to our Maker and God.

Rev. Mark Rundle

Calrossy Chaplain

COMMUNITY PRAYER BREAKFAST

 FRIDAY, 31st MAY

It’s good to gather together as a community to pray, reminding ourselves of great truths for us and our School, such as God’s promise that, no matter what life brings, ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.’ (Hebrews 13:5).  So please check out the information in this Newsletter about this Friday’s Community Prayer Breakfast, to which all members of the Calrossy community are welcome – students, staff, parents, friends… It’s happening in Room 108 of the Brisbane Street Campus, from 7.30-8.15am; it would be great to see you there!