# #80. John Dear in conversation with author and theologian Fr. Ron Rolheiser: " In my lifetime I've never lived through darker days."

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-nonviolent-jesus-7144839/80-john-dear-in-conversation-with-author-and-theologian-fr-ron-rolheiser-in-my-lifetime-i-ve-never-lived-through-darker-days
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-nonviolent-jesus-7144839/80-john-dear-in-conversation-with-author-and-theologian-fr-ron-rolheiser-in-my-lifetime-i-ve-never-lived-through-darker-days.md
Podcast: [The Nonviolent Jesus](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-nonviolent-jesus-7144839)
Published: 2026-07-13T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/the-nonviolent-jesus-podcast/2970011
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/307220/2970011/the-nonviolent-jesus-podcast/2026_07_07_20_50_35_8a72df98-41ed-4a00-b1cf-32f9e2878994.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2101

## Resource

“My mantra now is, ‘Let it go, let it go, let it go,’” theologian Ron Rolheiser tells John Dear On today’s episode I speak with my friend writer and theologian, Fr. Ron Rolheiser, one of the most popular Catholic writers in the world, about his new book, Insane for the Light: A Spirituality for Our Wisdom Years , the conclusion of his trilogy of modern spiritual classics, following The Holy Longing and Sacred Fire. Fr. Ron Rolheiser is the author of many other best-sellers including The Restless Heart, The Shattered Lantern, Forgotten Among the Lilies; Prayer; and The Passion and the Cross. Orbis published an anthology, Ron Rolheiser: Essential Spiritual Writings. He recently retired from his position as President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas, but continues to write, teach and speak around the country. You can learn more about him at his website: www.ronrolheiser.com Speaking about a spirituality for our wisdom years, Ron invites us to address anger, and other forms of resentment and bitterness, and let it go into softness, forgiveness, and gratitude. “I've spent most of the years of my life in leadership and now nobody's asking for my opinion,” he says. “Letting go of control is difficult. As my health deteriorates, I have to learn to let go. My mantra now is, ‘let it go, let it go, let it go.’ But as I move from full time activity into passivity, I’m asking myself, ‘Who am I when I stop doing? When you're God's beloved, how do we actually own that?’” “In my lifetime I've never lived through darker days,” he adds. “We're trying to solve violence with violence, but violence begets violence. Politicians are openly saying that compassion is weakness. We've never needed the message of nonviolence more than now. "The Sermon on the Mount is the gre…

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