The Rev’d Lucy Nguyen

7:30 am, Sunday 12 July 2026, Matariki

Readings: Wisdom 7:16-23, Psalm 65, Romans 13:11-14, John 4:31-38

Our readings this morning offer a framework for weaving in understandings of Matariki, the Māori New Year’s which holds the themes of remembrance, hope, and environmental stewardship with our Christian call to the pursuit of divine wisdom, spiritual awakening, and eternal life. The question for today in the looking back and looking forward might be: Where are we at, God?
The winter celebration of Matariki with Christian scripture creates a beautiful, localized place of understanding. A gift of shared understandings which can unite us in a special way.
This morning quite rightly we start with the Book of Wisdom and the reading this morning reminds us that all wisdom comes from God.
But first, last Sunday where did we stop in our reading reflection:
Last Sunday we were left with Paul crying out for rescue from a “body of death”, struggling with his humanity even as he pointed us to belief of the power of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, God and I did suggest last week that you could peek into Romans Chapter 8, thinking we’d be in that chapter this morning.
However, we’ve jumped to Romans 13:11-14 – where Paul calls us to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
So, allow me please on the behalf of us all to first nip back to Romans 8, Paul’s amazing transition from pain to salvation. Because we really can’t go forward without it.
The first 3 verses and the final 2 verses of chapter 8 in Romans:
1 So now there isn’t any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 God has done what was impossible for the Law, since it was weak because of selfishness. Romans 8:1-3
and
38 I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers 39 or height or depth, or any other thing that is created. Romans 8:37-39
With that (!) powerful foundational belief in our bellies we are now ready to consider this question poised for us by this intersection of Matariki and our readings.
Where are we at, God?
This season of Matariki frame this as a time of waking up, reflection, and new beginnings.
The beauty, purity, and guiding nature of divine wisdom, which pervades and penetrates all things is brought straight to the forefront of our Christian consciousness this morning.
Māori traditionally used the appearance of the Matariki stars to navigate across the vast oceans and to read the signs for the upcoming seasons.
We are invited to liken the star cluster’s guidance to divine wisdom, which directs our moral and spiritual lives through the darkness of our modern world. [Or at least we hope it does, perhaps this is our reminder.]
The Book Wisdom reminds us how God’s Spirit is fully present everywhere in creation to sustain it.
It is an invitation for us to take the time, make the space in our lives to marvel at the intricate beauty of the universe, recognizing that all human understanding and care for the environment are gifts from the Creator. Where are we at, God – in knowing God’s Spirit is present in creation?

The Matariki cluster rises in the pre-dawn winter sky, signalling the start of the Māori New Year, and we respond afresh to Paul’s urge to the Romans and ourselves to wake from slumber and to leave behind the spiritual lethargy of the past, to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light to step into the transforming light of Christ.
Paul’s is a call to align our daily conduct with the coming dawn, living purposefully in the light of Christ. Where are we at, God – in not being sluggish and dark in our thinking, being and doing?
Matariki is a call to align ourselves with the divine universe. And quite sensibly I think in Māori tradition Matariki new year comes at the end of a lot of hard work with more work to follow in the upcoming year.
But first – we rejoice and give thanks. Matariki is fundamentally a harvest festival, a time of thanksgiving for the food that sustains us.
God is with us, yes right from the start in the planting – to the reaping. And still, our lives require discipline and perseverance, just like caring for a garden. There will be seasons of drought and flood, but the harvest will come.
And when it does come – what does one do? One reaps!

Our Gospel highlights Jesus telling his disciples, “Look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting.”
He reminds them that “one sows and another reaps.”
Jesus invites us to look up to the sky to recognize God’s timing and then look around at the earth to see the spiritual harvest.
We are called to honour the spiritual labour of those who came before us and step into our roles to continue the good works, to enrich and care for of God’s creation today.
Jesus tells His disciples, “Look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting.”
Where are we at, God with our sowing and reaping of Word and Love?
The work is ongoing. We are called to be faithful workers, both celebrating the fruits of our past efforts and stepping into new opportunities to serve.

Where are we at?
We are here – together.
Let us look to the heavens and to the lands and find our way in Christ.
Amen.

“Matariki literally means ‘Te Mata-Ariki’ – to come face to face with the Lord. It is a time of deep encounters with the Lord.
A time to stop, reflect and wonder: Where am I at, Lord?”
Eco Church Aotearoa