Tekau - Rātū 10 Hakihea - Mauri

Day 10 - Tuesday 10th December - Mauri

He kaupapa mō te rā

Mauri

Mauri is the source of life and energy of all living things. It is passed down through the ancestors, one generation to the next as life continues. This energy force extends beyond people to include animals, plants, soil and water. Taking care of mauri is essential and central to the vitality and wellbeing for all living things both in the present and yet to come.

“Nā, he mauri tō ngā pakake, he mauri tō ngā tāngata, he mauri tō ngā tuna, he mauri tō ngā manu, he mauri tō ngā ika, he mauri ngā kaiao katoa, nā reira he mauri tātou.” Now, whales have mauri, people have mauri, eels have mauri, birds have mauri, fish have mauri, all living things have mauri, therefore we all have mauri.

He Karaipiture (Bible Reading)

John 1:9-13

Ko te mārama pono tērā, arā, ko te mārama e mārama ai ngā tāngata katoa e haere mai ana ki te ao.

I te ao ia, i hangā anō e ia te ao, ā, kīhai te ao i mōhio ki a ia. I haere mai ia ki ōna, ā, kīhai ōna i manako ki a ia. Tēnā ko te hunga i manako ki a ia i tukua e ia ki a rātou ngā tikanga e meinga ai rātou hei tamariki mā te Atua, arā ki te hunga e whakapono ana ki tōna ingoa. Ki te hunga ehara nei i te toto, ehara i tā te kikokiko i pai ai, ehara i tā te tangata i pai ai, engari, nā te Atua i whānau ai.

This was the real light—the light that comes into the world and shines on all people.

The Word was in the world, and though God made the world through him, yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him. Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children. They did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father.

Whakarongo/Titiro Mai (Listen/Watch)

Ngā mea waihanga (Create)

Simple harakeke (flax) flowers to adorn hand made cards, gifts, displays and a kono (basket) with the promise to take creation’s taonga.

He Whakaaroaro (Reflect)

We feel this life force, this Mauri, this energy in our own faith-filled lives. We see it in the way we find God-With-Us at work around us in the lives of others. Our attention is drawn at this time of year. In this year’s Counting Down to Christmas we’ve deliberately focused on the story of Creation as well as the story of the first Christmas. If we pay attention to the mauri of all living things and we heed the call that we are God’s children, then by connection we hear the call to care for all living things. There is much we can learn from Māoridom in ways to care for each other and for our environment. 

As God gifted us Jesus, our created Saviour, so too God has gifted us creation! It is our inherent liability to reciprocate the gift of aroha & tiaki (love & care) for these generous taonga. “Mauri tū, mauri ora - tihei mauri ora!” An active soul is a healthy soul - the life force is alive!

Whakahokia mai (Respond)

Take an action today to care of some living thing in the environment. 

Karakia (Pray)

“E te Atua, e tāria nei e titiro nei mātou ki a koe, i tonoa e koe a Hoani Kaiiriiri hei whakarite i te ara mō te haerenga mai o tāu Tama: Tēnei Ia te haere mai nei hei tāroi i te riri, hei hohou i te rongo. Ko te Karaiti te pūaotanga o te ata. Kia mataara, kia māia ai mātou ki te kōrero i te pono āhakoa pēhia e te taimaha. E īnoi ai mātou i roto i a te Karaiti tō mātou Kaiwhakaora. Āmine.

God for whom we wait and watch, you sent John the Baptist to prepare for the coming of your Son: He is coming to reconcile and forgive, Christ is the new beginning. Give us courage to speak the truth even to the point of suffering. This we ask through Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Tihei mauri ora!

NZBP/Te Maramataka Year B - Te Hāhi Mihinare o Aotearoa, p491 & p12

Subscriber Contribution

Photos taken by Janette Fawcett at Wenderholm Regional Park in Auckland last December.