Posts

Arcadi Oliveres, tireless conscience agitator. Obituary

On April 7th, a day after the theologian Hans Küng, Arcadi Oliveres (Barcelona), died at 76 of pancreatic cancer. Professor of Economics at the University, but above all street activist, scourge of injustice, accomplished fighter against big oligopolies and their executive directors, he favoured social movements rather than political parties. His program: anticapitalism, civil disobedience, […]

Bird confidences

Faithful alarm clock and echo of so many human conversations that tell us what we do not sing: silent loves, exciting proposals, indecent reconciliations,fiery love, quieter struggles one step away from throwing in the towel. (Toño Martinez. This morning listening to a bird on my balcony) Translated from Spanish by Andrea González Tamayo

Do not abandon

Do not abandon. Even if it seems to you that the night has no end, even if you are overwhelmed by this time with no hugs, even if your breath freezes in your guts, even if you don’t see spring bloom. Because after the deepest darkness always points to a new day, because eternity is […]

On the way to peace?

Still and quiet on the bare branch, a blackbird is watching the snow-covered landscape of Aizarna. Everything radiates quietness and harmony. Everything breathes in peace. But when I look at the first news item, the front page, or the first thought, the current and enormous uncertainties of the planet, the threats of this pandemia and […]

May we embrace one another in a commitment

I, too, wanted to escape from the world. You did not let me do it with your letters, your words in the streets, your helplessness. So, I propose to you, with the solemnity the words at the end of one´s life have, that we may embrace one another in a commitment: let’s go out to […]

Advent comes round again

It’s Advent again and the prophecies written by Isaiah a mere 2,700 years ago have a new feel about them. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Isa 2:4). There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear […]

Welcome, Advent!

Welcome, Advent,

herald of the Good News,

threshold of hope, matured in a long wait.

You open our eyes of the spirit

towards the eternity,

Since in what is already accomplished

you are the promise of accomplishment.

What is the matter with Homo sapiens?

I am impressed by the advances in technology and the sciences that make it possible. It is an incredible collective success of sapiens, our species, to make life more comfortable and with less suffering. I would certainly not want to go back to the living conditions of just 200 years ago: no vaccines, antibiotics, anesthesia, […]

Faith in Humanity

Over dinner a few days ago Malen treated us to the reading of one of those remarks that she loves so much: “Aliens exist. The proof is that they don’t show up.” We laughed and then I pointed out: “Of course there are aliens and the best thing for them would be not to show […]