"Yes, You Can!" (in memory of Rev. Ruth Dudley)

Ruth Dudley, an encourager of mine who lived in  Australia, has died. I learned about her passing this morning, on her birthday (12-28-17)

Crutches were her constant friends as a child as was a wheelchair in her adult years.  Physically, her life was difficult and filled with pain.  Living into her calling was as well.  Ruth wrote a poem called “Inevitably Hers” about the pain that she went through between the time of her calling (1953) until the day that she was allowed by the Anglican Church of Australia to be ordained (1992).  To hear her tell about those last months before the Church allowed it to happen was filled with hurt.  She and a few other women were to be ordained (the first group in Australia).  They arrived for the ordination only to find out that the Church had put it on hold once more.  And from an Anglican priest’s mouth, she heard him say that it would be more fitting for a dog to perform the sacraments than a woman.  Oh, what hurt and yearning these “pioneer” women endured. 

Ruth was the first person to befriend me when I joined a lectionary discussion group years ago.   Ruth encouraged me in expressing myself through writing, took me under her wing, and surprised me with a book of her own writings/poetry.  When others said "No you can't", Ruth shouted "Yes you can!" 

This morning, I give thanks for an amazing woman of strength (even in her weakness), of faith, and of calling ....  and, in turn, give thanks for all who have answered God's call.

anna
Here is her poem ("Inevitably Hers") about the wait between calling and ordination.   I have had it on my office wall for years.

INEVITABLY HERS

Long ago it had seemed
like a wisp of cloud peeping over the horizon,
shaping and unshaping,
full of exciting promise,
yet somehow ominous
for it carried the threat of storms and thunder
and fierce pain.

For many years it seemed to come no closer.
Then the wind picked it up
and, gathering momentum
it moved relentlessly toward her.

She feared it.
How she feared it!
It was not of her choosing
yet it was hers –
inevitably hers
and she longed to own it
and to have others own that it was hers.

Heavily it hung above her
heightening her sense of foreboding,
stretching her pain,
sharpening her longing.
Bowed under the oppression of denial
she waited.

Then the first drops fell.
Raising her eyes to heaven
she saw God smile as cleansing drops
of possibility and affirmation and encouragement
rained upon her.

No longer bowed, she waited –
for inevitably
it was hers.


("Inevitably Hers" by Ruth Dudley / Anglican priest / Australia)
Note:  Ruth was in the first group of women in Australia to be ordained an Anglican priest.  God called her to the ministry in 1953.  It was in 1992, when she was ordained.  INEVITABLY HERS.