On the Eve of a High, Holy Week

As I write this, I'm listening to Terry Gross interview Nadia Bolz-Weber on NPR's Fresh Air.  I love being able to catch up on interviews that I've missed--the Internet is a wondrous thing!  This interview happened a day after an interview with Paul Vallely who talked about the Pope.  Two interviews that cover religious issues in one week? 

Perhaps this upsurge in religious coverage is happening as the Pope prepares to come here.  Continuing with the NPR coverage theme, yesterday on All Things Considered, David Brooks said this about the Pope's visit: 

"I think we're in danger of over-politicizing this visit. I mean, we're going to see mass displays of faith, of devotion, for millions and millions of people - probably thousands maybe even millions will have their lives changed or reconfirmation of faith in a way that politics can't touch.

And then finally, you know, we all give sermons and he'll give sermons, but the message is the person - the kind of person he is in the way he conducts himself, as E.J. says, the people he's visiting. He is displaying a devotion to God, a devotion to the least among us, a sort of soul on fire that will inspire millions of people - Muslim, atheists, Jews - it's going to be a huge cultural event, I think."

Next week is also Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year, and my Hindu friend is in the middle of Hindu's holiest month too.  I like these times when religious traditions swell towards transcendence at the same time.

I'll be hoping for transcendence for us all.


Listen to the Bolz-Weber interview here.  Listen to the Vallely interview here.