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Who owns Australia, anciently referred to as terra australis incognita (Latin) - "unknown land of the south"? The words came just over 400 years ago: La Austrialia del Espiritu Santo - Australia of the Holy Spirit, without the preceding "Terra" that had previously been used. These Spanish words were spoken by a spiritually minded Portuguese navigator with an Austrian king as his Spanish monarch on Pentecost Sunday, May 14^th 1606 — were then adjusted and published in English (and Spanish) in 1625 as Australia del Espiritu Santo by Purchas, vol.iv, p.1432 — then changed again in Lieutenant James Cook's journal to Astralia del Espiritu Santo in 1770.

But Cook was noting that, even as Quirós proclaimed this to be the new name for the land he had been seeking — Terra Australis — south to the Pole, he had actually been on a small island group (Vanuatu) well to the east. Click here to see a copy of his map. And Quirós's second in command Torres had sailed on and come through Torres Strait, possibly sighting the hills of Cape York, but if so, taking no further notice.

Yes, mistakes occurred as so often happens when we "can't see the big picture". Still, later English writers declared their ongoing preference for Quirós's word though minus that first "i" ☺. So, while explorer James Cook now named the east coast New South Wales using an incomplete map of New Holland — yes, it had been named this by Dutch explorer Tasman in 1644 — both Matthew Flinders' chart in 1798-1804 and Governor Macquarie's letter in 1817 strongly recommended that the whole country reclaim the name Australia. Official recognition by the British Admiralty came in 1824.
Click here for more background on the naming of Australia.

Now click here to read about a get-together with vibrant imagery — tree-planting and "bread-breaking", between our recent Australian leader (John Howard)'s family, and American leader (George Bush)'s family on Sunday, May 14^th 2006. It was a special day, the 400^th anniversary of Quirós's proclamation on May 14^th 1606, also the 200^th anniversary of the successful petition on May 14^th 1806, when 2000 signatures laid before the House of Lords saw the abolition of the slave trade throughout the British Empire inside the year. Thirdly it was Mother's Day. "But the mother of us all, Jerusalem on high, (Sarah) is free" says the scripture in Galatians 4:26. Further pictures on mother and child with John's vision in Revelation 12:1-5.

And from the depths of a Tasmanian gold-mine to the snowy heights of Mt Everest, May certainly majored in Aussies being rescued. Click here for that last one. In June, the joy (and agony) of participating in world cup soccer. Click here for a short email sent via Col Stringer. In September, the worldwide sadness, as major news websites went into meltdown, at Steve Irwin's sudden death. Click here for one writer's review. Whether we live or die, win or lose, there is enormous appeal in the freedom, the enthusiasm in someone like Steve's young, childlike (though a cynic would say childish) Aussie playfulness. To quote Bono: "things that really communicate universally are humour, grace & strength of character" - three things often seen in little children - ok not always at the same time ☺
Truly, unless you right about face and become as one of these ....... Matthew 18:3
The word for child is "paidion", linked to "paideuo" meaning one who is trained up: chastened, and corrected.

Sadly the contrasted worldview of shame, blame and guilt separates us all so easily. Back on August 14th 2006 (precisely 3 months following that Mother's day) a U.N. brokered truce was announced for Hezbollah and Israel — provisionally reckoned "a messy draw" by Greg Sheridan in The Australian. Seen by many as a proxy war, the latest episode in a 2300 year conflict involving the South (Egypt), North (Syria/Iran) & Jews in the middle - click here.