John Dear on Nonviolence

A few years ago I became very interested in the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, probably on a retreat day at their Peace and Spirituality Center over in Bellevue. I have actually worked closely with two CSJPs during my years in ministry, and enjoyed working with others as colleagues. I've always been impressed with their energy and their loving spirit, which often came with a playfulness that could be disarmingly pleasing. I became one of the supporters of the Center, and I receive their biannual publication, Living Peace. I get a zillion magazines and sometimes get pretty far behind in my reading, but this issue did catch my eye, especially when I saw John Dear's name on the cover, pointing me to an article on page 8. However, once I opened the magazine, I was hooked, and avidly read the whole edition. It was well-thought out, varied, timely, and inspiring. You can read it on-line if you wish, by using the link on this page: HERE.

John Dear's interview was excellent. I so enjoy him as a writer, and follow his blog on the National Catholic Reporter regularly. I didn't realize this until recently, but he was the one who wrote the "vow of nonviolence" a few years ago, and I wore a copy of that one out, carrying it in my wallet. In the article, Dear is quoted as saying this, about public action for peace:

Public action is also helpful. Oddly enough, if you don't join the movement, you end up sitting back and watching the bombs fall on CNN. You'll give up and give in to despair. But if you join a public vigil, or get involved in your local peace group, or volunteer at that nearby shelter for the homeless, or cross the line and get arrested in a protest, actually that generates hope and keeps you going. These actions provide opportunities for you to deepen your personal nonviolence.

Strong words...and yet, I find them motivating and refreshing.

He also says this about how to nurture a desire to grow in non-violence: "There are a lot of things that I do, and that I've learned personally from peacemakers and from reading the saints. And that would include daily, quiet meditation and reading the gospel every day and participating in the sacraments....I don't think it can be done without a daily, formal check-in time with the God of Peace."

Ah, John... That's indeed a prescription for the soul that truly longs for peace!

And there's another nugget, an important "how-to" clue...

"You also need community, and that can mean all kinds of things, but ideally a group of people who share your values, and with whom you can open us and share your values and joys and pain and brokenness."

What a delightful reminder! I do feel that I've gotten very well connected in the last 2 years with small groups of believers who are prayerful, who have taken time with one another, and who both share values and share about their values, values which are strongly flavored with the love of both justice and mercy. These groups vary in number, composition, and frequency of meeting, and yet the spirit of community that each enjoys within itself is genuinely nourishing for the members, in some cases very profoundly so.

Read the article at the above link, or you can also go to the full interview, HERE.. Let me know what you think.