I am going to miss the voice of Desmond Tutu. He retired from public life last month on his 79th birthday.
He always struck me as the Christian equivalent of the Dalai Lama. They both have the ability to chuckle in such a disarmingly human way and in the next moment to startle you with their spiritual insight.
I was a commissioner to General Council in London Ontario when Archbishop Tutu captivated the court with his stories and his presence.
His voice was authentic because unlike many of us Canadians who have enjoyed the best of all possible worlds, Tutu’s faith put him in real danger.
Tutu once said, “God is not even-handed. God is biased, horribly in favour of the weak. The minute an injustice is perpetrated, God is going to be on the sid of the one who is being clobbered.”
He could say things like this and still reach out to those who occupied a contrary view and he could do so with a smile and an open hand. That’s a special gift, to not demonize your enemies. We will miss him.
Peter
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