Doormats or Thresholds?

20th Sunday after Pentecost

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many - Mark 10:45

She's spent a lifetime putting others first. As a child she helped to care for her younger siblings. During her years in the workforce, she kept an office running smoothly. In her married years, she's cared for her husband and her children.

She's never assumed that the first piece, the choicest cut, the best seat, was for her. Her daughter has observed it all as the years have passed and she has a few opinions about her mom's humility. Sometimes she is infuriated to see her mom waiting on the "men folk" or her friends or her grandchildren and letting them place their orders with her like she is a permanent waitress.

Jesus washes the feet of His disciples

Sometimes she longs to walk in the door and just see her mom lounging in a chair and her father in the kitchen stewing over pots and pans and checking to see that her mom's glasses is filled and she is comfortable.

And even though she sometimes feels conflicted to see her mother word so hard and many to take her for granted, she understands that her mother doesn't do it because she feels inferior to anyone else, or because she has low self-esteem.

Her mom does it because that is how she loves. Her mom does it because that is how she serves Christ. Her mom does it because her own parents impressed upon her that greatness is measured differently in Christ's eyes. Excellence is found in being servant to all, because that is what Jesus himself did.

We call it humility and we often think that too much of it makes us into doormats. However, the truth is that real humility makes us into thresholds - places where others can enter and experience for a moment Christ's own nurturing presence and self-offering love.

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Doormats or Thresholds?

20th Sunday after Pentecost

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many - Mark 10:45

She's spent a lifetime putting others first. As a child she helped to care for her younger siblings. During her years in the workforce, she kept an office running smoothly. In her married years, she's cared for her husband and her children.

She's never assumed that the first piece, the choicest cut, the best seat, was for her. Her daughter has observed it all as the years have passed and she has a few opinions about her mom's humility. Sometimes she is infuriated to see her mom waiting on the "men folk" or her friends or her grandchildren and letting them place their orders with her like she is a permanent waitress.

Jesus washes the feet of His disciples

Sometimes she longs to walk in the door and just see her mom lounging in a chair and her father in the kitchen stewing over pots and pans and checking to see that her mom's glasses is filled and she is comfortable.

And even though she sometimes feels conflicted to see her mother word so hard and many to take her for granted, she understands that her mother doesn't do it because she feels inferior to anyone else, or because she has low self-esteem.

Her mom does it because that is how she loves. Her mom does it because that is how she serves Christ. Her mom does it because her own parents impressed upon her that greatness is measured differently in Christ's eyes. Excellence is found in being servant to all, because that is what Jesus himself did.

We call it humility and we often think that too much of it makes us into doormats. However, the truth is that real humility makes us into thresholds - places where others can enter and experience for a moment Christ's own nurturing presence and self-offering love.

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Doormats or Thresholds?

20th Sunday after Pentecost

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many - Mark 10:45

She's spent a lifetime putting others first. As a child she helped to care for her younger siblings. During her years in the workforce, she kept an office running smoothly. In her married years, she's cared for her husband and her children.

She's never assumed that the first piece, the choicest cut, the best seat, was for her. Her daughter has observed it all as the years have passed and she has a few opinions about her mom's humility. Sometimes she is infuriated to see her mom waiting on the "men folk" or her friends or her grandchildren and letting them place their orders with her like she is a permanent waitress.

Jesus washes the feet of His disciples

Sometimes she longs to walk in the door and just see her mom lounging in a chair and her father in the kitchen stewing over pots and pans and checking to see that her mom's glasses is filled and she is comfortable.

And even though she sometimes feels conflicted to see her mother word so hard and many to take her for granted, she understands that her mother doesn't do it because she feels inferior to anyone else, or because she has low self-esteem.

Her mom does it because that is how she loves. Her mom does it because that is how she serves Christ. Her mom does it because her own parents impressed upon her that greatness is measured differently in Christ's eyes. Excellence is found in being servant to all, because that is what Jesus himself did.

We call it humility and we often think that too much of it makes us into doormats. However, the truth is that real humility makes us into thresholds - places where others can enter and experience for a moment Christ's own nurturing presence and self-offering love.

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Papua New Guinea Government denying her people's Constitutional Rights

Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta today said that the decision by the Police last week to prevent the Salvation Army and the PNG Council of Churches from holding a march and rally in support of the United National "Stand Up, Take Action" campaign represented a very worrying trend.

"Why would anyone in authority prevent this rally from taking place?" Sir Mekere said. "All that these church and civil society representatives wished to do was to express their concern about poverty and Papua New Guinea’s lack of progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and to debate these issues. What is wrong with that? We should be encouraging such debate. But it seems the Government wants no public discussion of anything," Sir Mekere said.

"Where is Michael Somare? This is not the Michael Somare that Papua New Guinea used to know?" "Where have our democratic rights and freedoms gone under this Somare-NA Government?" Sir Mekere asked. "This is yet another example of the trend of this Government of turning PNG into a Mugabe-type regime."

"The important institutions of state, like the Police, are fast being turned into compliant tool kits by the Government for its political interest." "Section 46 of our Constitution expressly provides for freedom of expression; Section 47 provides for the right to freedom of assembly and association; Section 57 provides for enforcement of these guaranteed rights and freedoms. Is it not the job of the Police to uphold our Constitution and our laws? Their action to disallow the Churches’ rally is a violation of the Constitution."

Sir Mekere said that a similar incident occurred last week, when the Police prevented a peaceful March from being held in Madang, to protest against the Marine Industrial Park to be built at Vidar. "The march had been approved by the provincial police authorities, but apparently a government minister complained to Police Headquarters, who overturned the decision and banned the march."

Sir Mekere said the Police hierarchy should remember they were not the political servants of the Government. "The Police Force is an independent constitutional authority. But it seems the Police are now completely at the bidding of the Government, stifling debate and preventing citizens from expressing their views."

"What are the Government and the Police scared of? The reason given for not approving the Madang march was that due to recent unrest over the position, power and conduct of some Asians, protest marches had been banned throughout the country. What nonsense." "In whose interests is the country being governed? A foreign power? Foreign business interests? Illegal immigrants? Certainly not for Papua New Guineans."

Sir Mekere said that Captain Kerari of the Salvation Army had made a very forceful point when questioning the decision to ban the church rally when he said: "we do not want to be seen as humbugs; we were planning on a peaceful rally with prayer and singing." Sir Mekere urged all Papua New Guineans to speak out and to insist on protection of their constitutional rights.

Mekere Morauta, Kt MP

Leader of the Opposition & Member for Moresby North-West
PO Parliament House, Waigani
National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
Tel: 3277 631 Fax: 3277 632

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Papua New Guinea Government denying her people's Constitutional Rights

Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta today said that the decision by the Police last week to prevent the Salvation Army and the PNG Council of Churches from holding a march and rally in support of the United National "Stand Up, Take Action" campaign represented a very worrying trend.

"Why would anyone in authority prevent this rally from taking place?" Sir Mekere said. "All that these church and civil society representatives wished to do was to express their concern about poverty and Papua New Guinea’s lack of progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and to debate these issues. What is wrong with that? We should be encouraging such debate. But it seems the Government wants no public discussion of anything," Sir Mekere said.

"Where is Michael Somare? This is not the Michael Somare that Papua New Guinea used to know?" "Where have our democratic rights and freedoms gone under this Somare-NA Government?" Sir Mekere asked. "This is yet another example of the trend of this Government of turning PNG into a Mugabe-type regime."

"The important institutions of state, like the Police, are fast being turned into compliant tool kits by the Government for its political interest." "Section 46 of our Constitution expressly provides for freedom of expression; Section 47 provides for the right to freedom of assembly and association; Section 57 provides for enforcement of these guaranteed rights and freedoms. Is it not the job of the Police to uphold our Constitution and our laws? Their action to disallow the Churches’ rally is a violation of the Constitution."

Sir Mekere said that a similar incident occurred last week, when the Police prevented a peaceful March from being held in Madang, to protest against the Marine Industrial Park to be built at Vidar. "The march had been approved by the provincial police authorities, but apparently a government minister complained to Police Headquarters, who overturned the decision and banned the march."

Sir Mekere said the Police hierarchy should remember they were not the political servants of the Government. "The Police Force is an independent constitutional authority. But it seems the Police are now completely at the bidding of the Government, stifling debate and preventing citizens from expressing their views."

"What are the Government and the Police scared of? The reason given for not approving the Madang march was that due to recent unrest over the position, power and conduct of some Asians, protest marches had been banned throughout the country. What nonsense." "In whose interests is the country being governed? A foreign power? Foreign business interests? Illegal immigrants? Certainly not for Papua New Guineans."

Sir Mekere said that Captain Kerari of the Salvation Army had made a very forceful point when questioning the decision to ban the church rally when he said: "we do not want to be seen as humbugs; we were planning on a peaceful rally with prayer and singing." Sir Mekere urged all Papua New Guineans to speak out and to insist on protection of their constitutional rights.

Mekere Morauta, Kt MP

Leader of the Opposition & Member for Moresby North-West
PO Parliament House, Waigani
National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
Tel: 3277 631 Fax: 3277 632

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Papua New Guinea Government denying her people's Constitutional Rights

Opposition Leader Sir Mekere Morauta today said that the decision by the Police last week to prevent the Salvation Army and the PNG Council of Churches from holding a march and rally in support of the United National "Stand Up, Take Action" campaign represented a very worrying trend.

"Why would anyone in authority prevent this rally from taking place?" Sir Mekere said. "All that these church and civil society representatives wished to do was to express their concern about poverty and Papua New Guinea’s lack of progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and to debate these issues. What is wrong with that? We should be encouraging such debate. But it seems the Government wants no public discussion of anything," Sir Mekere said.

"Where is Michael Somare? This is not the Michael Somare that Papua New Guinea used to know?" "Where have our democratic rights and freedoms gone under this Somare-NA Government?" Sir Mekere asked. "This is yet another example of the trend of this Government of turning PNG into a Mugabe-type regime."

"The important institutions of state, like the Police, are fast being turned into compliant tool kits by the Government for its political interest." "Section 46 of our Constitution expressly provides for freedom of expression; Section 47 provides for the right to freedom of assembly and association; Section 57 provides for enforcement of these guaranteed rights and freedoms. Is it not the job of the Police to uphold our Constitution and our laws? Their action to disallow the Churches’ rally is a violation of the Constitution."

Sir Mekere said that a similar incident occurred last week, when the Police prevented a peaceful March from being held in Madang, to protest against the Marine Industrial Park to be built at Vidar. "The march had been approved by the provincial police authorities, but apparently a government minister complained to Police Headquarters, who overturned the decision and banned the march."

Sir Mekere said the Police hierarchy should remember they were not the political servants of the Government. "The Police Force is an independent constitutional authority. But it seems the Police are now completely at the bidding of the Government, stifling debate and preventing citizens from expressing their views."

"What are the Government and the Police scared of? The reason given for not approving the Madang march was that due to recent unrest over the position, power and conduct of some Asians, protest marches had been banned throughout the country. What nonsense." "In whose interests is the country being governed? A foreign power? Foreign business interests? Illegal immigrants? Certainly not for Papua New Guineans."

Sir Mekere said that Captain Kerari of the Salvation Army had made a very forceful point when questioning the decision to ban the church rally when he said: "we do not want to be seen as humbugs; we were planning on a peaceful rally with prayer and singing." Sir Mekere urged all Papua New Guineans to speak out and to insist on protection of their constitutional rights.

Mekere Morauta, Kt MP

Leader of the Opposition & Member for Moresby North-West
PO Parliament House, Waigani
National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
Tel: 3277 631 Fax: 3277 632

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