A Quote From Father John Dear

These words of wisdom came to me from Roshi Joan Halifax. As you know by now, I am a great admirer of her and the work she is doing at the Upaya Zen Center in New Mexico.

She and Father John Dear are holding a retreat between February 28 and March 2, 2014 on LOTUS IN A SEA OF FIRE: Peacemaking, Christ, and the Path of the Bodhisattva.

Father John Dear  is an American Catholic priest, Christian pacifist, author and lecturer born in 1959. He has been arrested over 75 times in acts of nonviolent civil disobedience against war, injustice and nuclear weapons.

Father John Dear

Like many others, I’m horrified and saddened by the war and killings in Syria and adamantly oppose U.S. bombings and entry into the war. Further war-making is not the way to end war. Instead, the United States should organize massive global, nonviolent pressure on Syria to cut all weapons sales and deliveries and work nonviolently to end the war….

Peacemakers, social justice advocates and activists need to be acutely aware of their own inner wounds and inner violence as they seek to address the world’s wounds and violence. If we are not conscious about that connection, then we will often respond to the world’s violence and need for peace from our inner violence, not our inner peace.

—Father John Dear

I’m wondering what he thought about Obama’s speech on Syria on Tuesday night. If you know how to reach him to get him to answer, that would be wonderful.

What do you think we should do about the crisis in Syria? Please share.

Connect with Meditation Practices

Connect with

Or enter your name and email address below.