Pilgrims Post #2
Weekly Newsletter 5 August 2025
Come, gather round …
There is nothing like some bush poetry around the campfire.
Here is a nod to every mode of private transport I’ve ever owned:
Getting Around - An OdeIn the months following my mother’s passing at the age of 100, gentle reminders of her impact emerge. One occurred during the week, and I share it here.
Why are men so angry about the growth of the care economy? asks Bernard Keane in Crikey, 30/7/25)
This article grabbed my attention because of my role as a Trustee for a large Aged Care agency. A lot of work has gone into responding to the government’s increasing financial commitment in this arena, highlighting the care economy as we increase capacity, improve standards, and raise staff conditions. The article says that:
Criticism of the care economy is intensifying, particularly from male commentators and partisan sources, often due to misunderstandings of its economic value.
Productivity concerns are commonly cited, as care work is labor-intensive and regulated, making it less amenable to traditional productivity growth metrics.
Analysts like Danielle Wood and Angus Taylor argue the care sector’s growth is pulling workers away from more "productive" industries. The sector has grown significantly, 61% since 2015 compared to 24% for the overall workforce, impacting national productivity stats. Many critics view care work (aged care, childcare, disability support) as a cost center, not a contributor to economic infrastructure.Economist Conrad Liveris challenges this framing, stating that these services enable broader economic participation.
Outlets like The Australian Financial Review have led a media “war” on the care economy, framing it as harmful to economic progress.
If your eyes haven’t glossed over, I am struck by the irony of how the word “economy” has been reduced in meaning to figures on a spreadsheet. It comes from the koine Greek word “oikumene” embracing all the levels of meaning of a strong and healthy household from cradle to grave. In the New Testament it is associated with the mutual care and cohesion of Christian fellowship (koinonia - those things we share in common). The economy revealed in the Book of Acts, where the early Christians pooled their possessions and shared, is a challenge to the economy of today’s late stage capitalism. The shift of the spotlight aimed at improving the so-called “care economy” is a much needed coorection!
In my line of work, I get asked a certain line of questions. Today it was what does it mean to “Bless God?”
My initial thought was, “Surely that’s the wrong way round - it is God who blesses us. We are finite - God is transcendent, both deeply within and infinitely beyond.”
Then Psalm 103:1 loomed. “Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s holy name.” It is a call to express praise and adoration with one’s whole being. It pre-empts a posture of humility, for there is no room for pride. The communal reciting of psalms and singing of devotional songs expresses this act. What follows is a desire to live in alignment with God’s will, practicing justice, mercy, and love, an echo of the great commandment to love God with all one’s heart, mind soul and strength and one’s neighbour as oneself. It will be seen in our acts of kindness, hospitality and fair dealing in our daily interactions.
Bless God? Jesus put it this way, “Let your light shine… that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
A good note to catch forty winks on!