Peter's Perspectives

A while ago, I wrote a little reflection on Hebrew wisdom. You can find it on Jason Clark's blog.

Last week, I spent four days of private retreat with the Northumbria Community. Before I arrived I did not really know what to expect but it turned out to be the perfect place for me at that time. It felt like being on a pilgrimage that started when I visited St. Cuthbert's tomb at Durham Cathedral on my way up.

Last week, 78 year old Nobel laureate Günter Grass revealed his involvement with the Waffen-SS as a youth. All those years he had been silent out of shame and fear. It was not so much his sin or failure but his weakness that he found difficult to admit. And in this, he was not alone.

I was reminded of Paul's conversation with the Corinthians on the subject of weakness. It was very real to me because all that time I suffered from a severe cold. It was frustrating to see how such a small infection slowed me down. Sometimes even Christians seem stuck with the familiar alternative of hiding/denying our weakness to appear strong and in control, or being completely negative and miserable about most anything in life, especially in our own. Certainly in the conflicts of our time most people seem to think we cannot afford to appear weak - whether in politics or in private.

Recenty I read a post on Spreeblick, one of Germany's most popular weblogs. It was entitled "Dear God". The author made it clear that he was not a believer of any kind. He adressed God because had been listening to Johnny Cash's album American V. The deep expression of the beauty of a life well lived touched him so deeply that turning to God seemed to be the only reasonable response.