Calrossy Chaplaincy

Ends & Beginnings 

It’s said that you can tell a good book by its opening sentence: something that grabs the attention; or intrigues; or is simply bizarre or unexpected.  For me, a good book identifies itself as much by the quality of its ending, as by the excellence of its beginning.  There aren’t many things more frustrating than an ending to a story that doesn’t make sense, or doesn’t tie up all the loose ends of what’s been going on.  Mind you, an ending that’s predictable and obvious from the opening pages of a book can be equally annoying!

Then there’s a situation where the characters in the book think that their story is about to end – but we, the readers, know otherwise (mainly because we know that there are still plenty of pages to go!).  Take, for example, the hobbits Frodo and Sam in The Lord Of The 

Rings, directly after they complete their quest to destroy the One Ring in the Cracks of Doom.  With volcano-like eruptions tearing the Mountain apart, and no hope of escape, Frodo turns to his best friend and says, ‘I am glad that you are here with me.  Here at the end of all things, Sam.’ But, of course, it’s actually NOT  ‘the end of all things’ for them!  They are rescued, they’re celebrated, and their story goes on.  What seemed to be an ending became, in fact, more of a new beginning...

In this week at Calrossy, there are a number of endings: the finish of 8 years of wonderful ministry by Rev Lou Davies as part of our Chaplaincy Team; and particularly the end of formal schooling for our Year 12’s – for many, that’s involved more than 12 years as a Calrossy student! Finishing Secondary schooling, of course, isn’t just an end; it also opens up lots of new beginnings for our 2022 HSC cohort – in their study, work, travel, independence and much more! 

How can they – and we - make the most of each of our lives, with all its “beginnings and endings”?  The Bible tells us that it involves having a relationship with the One who calls Himself “the Beginning and the End” – because ‘if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) One way of life is ended; another has begun – and this one doesn’t disappoint us with an ending; as it’s for eternity.

Mark Rundle

Calrossy Chaplain