Well done, good and faithful servant!

 

Dear Friends

By now, you probably have heard this morning’s breaking news that Desmond Tutu, beloved Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986-1996, died at the age of 90. Beyond that role, he is perhaps best known for being appointed by Nelson Mandela to head up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2009.

Though physically small, he was a spiritual giant, making a huge impact with his words and personality. He spoke tough truth to power with love. He was also filled with a spirit of joy and laughter that was infectious. I know this personally. He spoke at one of our clergy conferences many years ago and even before he uttered a word, his positive, uplifting energy was felt throughout the room.  

Thanks to Google, here are a few quotes I picked which think are worth sharing:

We need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they are falling in!

 

If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.

 

Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning. Without forgiveness there is no future.

 

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.

 

Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.

 

My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together. God’s dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness and compassion.

Well done good and faithful servant! May your words and actions continue to inspire and motivate many to take on the hard but urgent work of reconciliation, something our country and world needs now more than ever.

John