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Gospel centred sermons, based on the lectionary often in advance.

Australia Day A personal statement

Jan 24, 2025

Nehemiah 8:1–3, 5–6, 8–10
Australia Day: A Personal Reflection
“... “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.” (Nehemiah 8:9, NRSVue) When I read those words from Nehemiah it caused me to have a good hard think about Australia Day. Of course Australia Day is not a celebration of the rededication of the Temple after the return from exile but...
 
Australia Day is a time to reflect on what it means to call this nation home. I take pride in our history of democratic innovation. We became a nation through a peaceful vote, the first to give women the full franchise not simply the right to vote but also the right to serve in parliament, and led the world with the first Labor government. We've championed workers' rights, contributed significantly during world wars, and played key roles in international law, human rights, and cooperation. From scientific breakthroughs to sporting achievements and vibrant arts, Australia is indeed a remarkable nation.
 
But I cannot overlook the other side of our history. If my heritage were First Nations, this day would feel different. My ancestors might have lost connection to their land through colonization, disease, or missionary policies. Indigenous Australians were denied rights for much of our shared history—citizenship came late, voting rights even later, and equal pay only arrived in the late 1960s. Until 1967, Indigenous Australians weren’t even fully counted in the census but were classified under flora and fauna provisions.
 
Stories like those from Mornington Island remind me of the impact of displacement and cultural disruption. There, traditional enemies and people from different areas were forced to live together. For three generations, children were raised in dormitories, severed from both traditional ways and mainstream Australian culture. Only people my age and younger had the chance to raise their children in their own homes. What does that mean for community stability today?
 
If I were in their shoes, it would be hard to celebrate. I would think about grandparents and parents who lost their language and way of life, forced to trade it for a life that didn’t offer the stability of mainstream Australia. I would remember the sickness, displacement, and ongoing struggles. Like the Israelites hearing the story of their past, I would weep for all that was lost.
Still, I acknowledge the achievements of mainstream Australia. The day we currently mark as Australia Day, January 26, commemorates the 1788 landing of Captain Arthur Phillip and the establishment of the colony of New South Wales. That event laid the foundation for modern Australia but displaced Aboriginal peoples through disease, violence, and settlement. For many First Nations people, it’s a day of mourning.
 
As a descendant of free settlers, I celebrate our democratic beginnings and accomplishments on the world stage. But this celebration should also include acknowledgment and repentance. Just as the Israelites celebrated their blessings while mourning their failures, so should we.
 
I am not sure if Australia Day the 26th of January is the right day but whatever day or days we have I believe it would be best  to celebrate our achievements and blessings and to reflect on and address our national shortcomings. Whether on this date or another, we must honour the complexity of our history with honesty and hope. 
 
As I say every Sunday we should “acknowledge the loss, grief, benefits and blessings of our common history and pledge ourselves to the ministry of reconciliation. We [should] look forward to the time when Christ shall make all things new and every tear shall be wiped away.” Moreover as people who trust in a living and active saviour and God we should work for the reconciliation and healing that we know God can bring even right now. (See Rev 21:1-5, 2 Cor 5:16-20)