The Revd. Professor Dr. Upolu Lumā Vaai

“Celebrating the Gift, the Gifting, and being Gifted”

Abundance in scarcity is one of the mysteries of the gospel. Such abundance becomes the embodiment of harmony, the nucleus of spirituality, the benchmark of memory. Moreover, it becomes the reason for revolution and transformation. This culture of abundance is not a moral code. Nor is it an institutionalized system of thought. It is also not about celebrating more at the expense of less. We come from cultures where celebration underpins life. Every gift of abundance or scarcity is matched not initially with negation, but rather with celebration. To lose the gift of celebration is to lose the realisation of being gifted. This is why even scarcity is celebrated. A complex, relationally laden mystery that goes back to the beginning of time to God, the source of abundance. It is a mystery constantly manifested not when we have more, but when we have less. It is moments of scarcity that we often have a deep sense of collective sharing. That we recognise that we are inextricably connected with all that is. That we realise that faith is languaged with a neighbourly accent. This is the ‘whole of life’ vision of God.