When we were struggling in South Africa against the vicious racist policies of apartheid, it was exhilarating to proclaim to our people that our God was encountered first not in the peaceful quiet of a sanctuary. No, our God was out there in the rough and tumble of the politics of the day. Our God revealed Himself in the utterly vulgar world of setting a fractious rabble of slaves free. Our God was/is the great liberator God of the Exodus – the paradigmatic event that helped to define God as the God who is never unbiased, but is always biased in favor of the oppressed, the marginalized, the down and outs.

Continue »

I wish to express my solidarity with the people of Tibet during this critical time in their history. To my dear friend His Holiness the Dalai Lama, let me say: I stand with you. You define non-violence and compassion and goodness. I was in an Easter retreat when the recent tragic events unfolded in Tibet. I learned that China has stated you caused violence. Clearly China does not know you, but they should. I call on China's government to know His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as so many have come to know, during these long decades years in exile. Listen to His Holiness' pleas for restraint and calm and no further violence against this civilian population of monastics and lay people.

Continue »

I am surprised at the flurry of discussion and concern about this aspect of Mother Teresa’s inner life, because spiritual teachers have long taught about the dark night of the soul. St John of the Cross spoke eloquently about this phenomenon, that in many ways it was a common occurrence, God seeking to wean us away from the consolations of God so that we would turn our hearts towards the God of consolations. Even Jesus in a way experienced this desolation when he cried out on the Cross, ’My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?’

Mother Teresa wonderfully was no plaster cast saint. She has helped to affirm many who are passing through this period of desolation and dryness when God seems so remote. St Theresa of Avila after one such bout cried out in frustration to God, ’No wonder your friends are so few given how you treat them!’ My regard for Mother Teresa has been enhanced.

Doubt can be an integral part of faith, when the evidence is never so overwhelming, so incontrovertible. St Thomas is our patron Saint for doubters. We live by faith not by sight and frequently the evidence does not make the leap of faith redundant.

God bless you.

There is no religion that is violent. I certainly know of no religion that teaches that killing or murdering is right or to oppress and illtreat others is acceptable.

Yes, no faith is violent and thus Islam by definition is not. What we experience is that some adherents of Islam perpetrate violence. But that is true of Christianity as well.

Continue »

We inhabit a universe -- that is it has order and laws and we human creatures have a precious gift, the freedom to choose which makes us moral agents.

Our God who is omnipotent is also weak in that God has imposed limitations on God’s omnipotence to give us the space to have a real autonomy.

Continue »

Christians,Muslims and Jews as adherents of the three great monotheistic religions actually do not have a corner on the God market.

Continue »

On race my faith told me that each of us is of inestimable worth since each is created in the image of God.

Continue »

Any normal, thinking human being would be concerned about what is happening to our environment. Christians have an additional reason.

Continue »

In an ideal world, its inhabitants would live in peace and harmony, and if they fell out would resolve their differences amicably and nonviolently. Sadly, ours is a less than ideal world.

Continue »

When I was about 14 or so I contracted TB and was admitted to an isolation hospital. One day I started coughing up blood quite profusely.

Continue »

How many times after I made an utterance I wished I had not spoken quite so quickly and wanted to bite my tongue out. Too late.

Continue »

Faith is not something done by the gullible or those who happen to be religious. We are all people of faith in a very real sense because human life would be quite impossible without faith.

Continue »