Their private conversation… Read more

On the 13th of October this year, the world lost a remarkable woman.Andree de Jongh, a Belgium national, was born in 1916. Trained as a nurse and worked as a commercial artist, de Jongh joined with her father, Frederic, in establishing the Comet Line, assisting escaped Allied soldiers.Derek Shuff’s book Evader tells of three British crewmen from a crashed bomber who made their way to the underground network, where they were taken to a twenty-four year old woman. She said,… Read more

The brutal suppression of the people of Burma continues. The generals are counting on the world getting bored and turning away.Danny Fisher reminds us of three ways we can help.Amnesty International is continuing to provide urgent actions and information at their “Library” page on Myanmar. They update very regularly. Keep yourself abreast of what’s happening and take part in Amnesty’s urgent actions there.Avaaz.org is currently raising funds for technical support and equipment that Burmese citizen groups can use to help… Read more

While I found myself chilled by the song “Molasses to Rum,” it also reminded of that horrific scene in the movie “Cabaret.” It is seared in my mind with it’s many levels of meaning, so few good. The happy threesome are on their sybaritic jaunt when they stop at a roadside cafe. There they’re caught by a sweet and sentimental song with the refrain “tomorrow belongs to me” sung by an almost unbearably beautiful boy.Gradually the camera pans back to… Read more

When I was mining those Youtube clips from 1776 for my little appreciation of President John Adams, I noticed another clip from the movie: “Molasses to Rum.” I find that clip one of the most chilling in movie history. While I’m endlessly an admirer of the American dream, I’m also profoundly aware very little happens with a single causal thread, and how frequently good mixes with ill. “Molasses to Rum” sings to America’s original sin.If we hope for the Republic… Read more

John Adams, second president of the United States of America was born on this day in 1735. He assisted Thomas Jefferson in the writing of the Declaration of Independence. He is the author of the Massachusetts constitution.One of the more moving events for Jan and me not long after we relocated out here to Massachusetts, was visiting the First United Parish in Quincy, the Unitarian Universalist congregation where Adams, his beloved wife Abigail, their son John Quincy and his spouse… Read more

I see how yesterday was the feast of St Teresa of Avila, one of only three women to be named a “Doctor” of the Roman Catholic Church, and to my mind one of the greatest of Catholic theologians. I wish I’d noted this significant marker yesterday, but am happy to do so today. Actually, writing as a Unitarian Universalist Buddhist, somehow perhaps this slight lag is appropriate. Teresa is one of my favorite believers in the Christian religion. She and… Read more

When we practice zazen (Zen meditation) our mind always follows our breathing. When we inhale, the air comes into the inner world. When we exhale, the air goes out to the outer world. the inner world is limitless, and the outer world is also limitless. We say ‘inner world’ or ‘outer world,’ but actually there is just one whole world. In this limitless world, our throat is like a swinging door. The air comes in and goes out like someone… Read more

HERDING CATSReflecting on Unitarian UniversalismAnd the Way of Radical HospitalityA Sermon byJames Ishmael Ford14 October 2007First Unitarian SocietyNewton, MassachusettsTextHow wonderful it is to live in harmony with all people: like stepping out of the bath, your whole body fresh and vibrant; like a morning dew, glistening on the tiniest blade of grass. It is God’s infinite blessing, a taste of eternal life.133rd Psalm (trs by Stephen Mitchell)It hasn’t been a month, a blink of an eye, although it also feels… Read more

While pretty widely expected, I was, nonetheless, excited to learn Al Gore has won the Nobel Peace Prize together with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.I think it is way too late for him to throw his hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination, but a google search showed at least three organizations pushing to draft him and several opportunities for people to sign petitions urging him to do so.Frankly, I prefer the “recovering politician.”But, I have to admit,… Read more