Discovering Taize, August 20, 1940

Human beings only create by drawing on their poverty.  I am well placed to assert that today:  it is exactly thirty years ago that I discovered Taize.

Br. Roger of Taize, from his Journal August 20, 1970

Fasting or Feasting

One day St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross met for a meal.  Grapes were brought in.  "I'm not going to eat any," said John of the Cross.  "Too many people have none."  Teresa answered, "I, on the contrary, am going to eat them, to praise God for these grapes."  Their conversation mirrors one of the tensions of the contemporary Church.

Br. Roger of Taize

Prayer and Life

“Strange it is that when people experience emptiness in prayer, they assume the main problem must be that they have not yet found the right book or the right technique – oriental or occidental. Scripture says nothing about method at prayer, but it does say a great deal about true poverty. The main problem in developing a deep prayer life is by far the failure to live the radicality of the Gospel, hour by hour and day by day.”

Thomas Dubay, S.M.

Poverty

“[Poverty] gives the poor man the experience of a radical readiness for the kingdom.”

Thomas Dubay, S.M.

Serving the Poor

“People may come to our communities [L’Arche] because they want to serve the poor; they will only stay once they have discovered that they themselves are the poor. And then they discover something extraordinary: that Jesus came to bring the good news to the poor, not to those who serve the poor!”
Jean Vanier