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Harmony

Harmony comes from the Greek word harmodso, to join. There is harmony wherever there is equilibrium, proportion, conjunction of different elements, as it occurs in a proportionate building, well combined with itself and the environment. Or in music, a harmonic made of different but coordinated sounds. Dawn, greeted by a concert of blackbirds, thrushes, robins, […]

War, weapons and victory

The best weapons are the most nefarious instruments that beings detest. Those who follow the Dao shun them. Weapons are evil instruments, they are not noble instruments. Only out of necessity will he resort to them, for he loves peace and calm. So he does not celebrate victory. He who celebrates victory rejoices in slaughter. […]

Stop the invasion, promote politics

Brutality, atrocity, inhumanity, barbarism… entire dictionaries would not suffice to describe what we, powerless, stunned and anguished, are seeing these days on the plains and in the cities across Ukraine, in the heart of civilised Europe. How on earth did we manage –yes, in the first person plural– to reach this point in the 2020s […]

How war was born

How war was born Two monks had been together for many years and had never quarreled with each other. One day they became aware of this and felt surprised. They said to themselves that it could not be that they had to know the experience of so many people that quarrel; otherwise they would not […]

They have taken away the words from our mouths

They have taken away the words from our mouths, our poems die under the bombs with those who are killed in Kiev, in Mariúpol and in Kharkiv. The brutal force wants to impose fear and it appears to win on the sweet banks of the Dniéper. But we know that a brotherly people will always […]

The truth will set us free

I am talking about the sexual abuse of minors that occurred within Catholic institutions in Spain. They are not 4 or 33 cases in the Basque Country, or 58 in Navarre, or 1246 cases in the Spanish State. They are very many more, a lot more, as it will be clear once they are known. […]

To Pello Zabala, my travelling companion

My dear Pello, I am dedicating this brief, humble, heartfelt tribute to you. In a way it is a futile attempt, because there are so many who have already praised your gifts and achievements better than I am capable of doing; so I congratulate everyone. I gladly endorse all the praise. So, I will be […]

The violin and the nightingale

A Tribute to Pello Zabala (… ……+ in Arantzazu on Feb 2nd, 2022) “Once upon a time a violin heard a nightingale sing. The small bird produced registers the violin had never heard before: gurgles, trills, high-pitched and happy gurgles. The violin was envious and wanted to sing like the nightingale; realizing that it could […]

The end of religious orders and the future of their properties

Franciscans and poor clares, benedictines, mercedarians, Jesus’ companions inspired by Ignatius of Loyola, carmelite men and women, passionists, Marists…. an endless list. They were instituted to relieve, accompany, educate, heal, and care for those who are alone or have nothing. Or to devote themselves to “contemplative life”, “working and praying”, deeply living in profound communion […]

Foreword

The pages I am presenting to you, dear reader, are much more than just a series of pertinent, well-documented, up-to-date reflections on spirituality. They are the reflective testimony of a lifetime. They are true words of witness. They exude the breath of life. Félix Placer, a free, dedicated man who at the age of 84 […]