It has been a rather contemplative week this week.

I received the latest and last open letter from Brother Roger, the founder of Taizé who died last year in tragic circumstances. But he was a man who knew what he was about:

“What is this peace that God gives? It is first of all an inner peace, a peace of the heart. This peace enables us to look at the world with hope, even though it is often torn apart by violence and conflicts.”

Yes, he was courageous in that he wanted world peace, but his method was a humble and peaceful one, encouraging people from different denominations to meet at the grass roots, spend time with each other, pray together, so that it may inspire them to utilise this spirit of togetherness in their own lives.

“Seeking reconciliation and peace involves a struggle within oneself. It does not mean taking the line of least resistance. Nothing lasting is created when things are too easy. The spirit of communion is not gullible. It causes the heart to become more encompassing…”

Does it work? Yes, I think it does. It is not the quickest of methods but anyone who has ever come in contact with Taizé would not soon forget it.

Nothing to do with the Winter Olympics. Last year I had one of those calendars with a different quote for every day. Mine was an eastern philosophy one that threw up all sorts of interesting contemplations. I was looking at my pile of favourites for the year (the ones that I didn’t throw away) and this one was at the top:

Although gold dust is precious, when it gets in your eyes it obstructs your vision – His-tang

An apt thought that can be applied to all sorts of familiar situations…

Your life is put into perspective when a friend packs up their bags and heads to the back of Sudan as a volunteer a couple of years. That’s what my friend Ruth has just done, volunteering with Catholic missions in Uganda, a short hop away to the Sudanese border. Meeting people who have escaped from Sudan, or really any place of war, is an eye-opening experience. Through my work over the years with JCA I’ve listened to a few people tell their stories – how they lost family members, lived in refugee camps and arrived in Australia with no more than a few garbage bags full of clothes, but they are the lucky ones who got to Australia. What would it be like to be at the frontline as Ruth is? I wait with great anticipation for her future posts.