Thoughts on Waitangi Day as an Anglican while reading the readings for this Sunday.

This week the obvious theme is call. We hear of the call of Isaiah, who responds with “here I am Lord, send me!” His call was to pronounce God’s judgement on Judah who had ceased to live God’s justice and mercy. Paul describes his call as an apostle while reminding his hearers of their call to be God’s new community. And Luke describes the call of Peter, John and James to cease being fishermen, and to leave all they knew of their lives to follow him as he lived out what he had read in Nazareth.

Yesterday was also Waitangi day – a day we commemorate the first singing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with all the hope that is contained within that. As I have said before the Treaty has Anglican fingerprints all over it. And those that worked for it, designed it, invited people to sign it, and many of those who signed it did so hoping it would allow God’s justice and mercy to flourish in this land.

Today we are invited to reflect on our own call, as individuals and as a church community. We are also given an opportunity to wonder what our forebears who were present at Waitangi would say to us this weekend as we commemorate that signing.