By Bishop of Broome, Tim Norton
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you.
For the past two weeks we have been hosting an engaging, young, diocesan priest from the eastern states who is discerning with his bishop the possibility of coming to minister in the Kimberley.
Last Sunday he and I drove 130 kilometres from Broome to Beagle Bay to celebrate the Palm Sunday liturgy with the community. After getting some ‘L’ plates, I began teaching him in the diocesan ute how to drive a manual vehicle as this is a handy skill for the Kimberley.
I saw the decorated car bonnet hanging in a tree that indicates the turn-off to the community and told him to slow the vehicle and turn left, but he was so busy changing gears that we over-shot the turn.
He was a little shocked but quickly got back on track, completed the journey safely and we enjoyed a wonderful celebration with the community.
As we enter the sacred days of Holy Week and prepare to celebrate Easter, we remember that it was the women who went in the early morning to the tomb, discovered that Jesus was not there, and carried the amazing Good News back to the other disciples that Jesus had risen.
The men were shocked, firstly, because it was the women who were the first evangelists and, secondly, because it changed everything! Life would never be the same again!
Easter means that life is not the same for us either. It is not ‘business as usual’ but life renewed with the risen Jesus as our guide. And this is the Good News that we are called to share with others.
Although I was not the best guide and teacher, I helped my young priest friend not to miss the turn on the journey. The celebration of Easter invites us all to be guides, even imperfect ones, who invite people on this wonderful journey of life with the risen Jesus.
As all four Western Australian dioceses embark on their Synodal Journeys, we pray this Easter that the Spirit of the risen Jesus accompany us, imperfect as we are, towards a reconciled and joyful life in that Spirit.
With every blessing for you and your families during the holy Week and Easter season, I remain yours in the Word.
+ Most Rev Tim Norton
Bishop of Broome