The Judeo-Christian legacy of symbols and story shaped their lives. Yet many in recent times are becoming Biblical illiterates. This is also occurring in Aboriginal culture. So many are losing their symbols and stories and are suffering greatly as a consequence. Being rooted in story is not a retreat into yesterday or away from the world, it is a way to recall and remember the heart and essence of a people.
Stories can turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh.
When looking at the diversity of cultures and their stories, we must approach it the way we approach the Scriptures. The Scriptures are like an entire library of different writings, composed at varying times by different people in widely diverse situations. God spoke to them according to their needs. So the Scriptures reflect the outlook of the age, lifestyle and culture in which they were written, portraying the divine element as well as the human. Therefore today we need to understand, respect and value some of the richness Australian Indigenous culture has to offer to the liturgy of the Church through our stories, symbols and rituals.