Born in 1894 – Jean Renoir, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter.
“When a friend speaks to me, whatever he says is interesting.”
Previously: Jean Renoir
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In 1415, Czech Jan Hus was burned at the stakefor heresies against the doctrines of the Catholic Church.
“Who is afraid of death loses the joy of life; truth prevails all, prevails who is killed, because no adversity can harm him, who is not dominated by injustice.”
Krzysztof Kieślowski, born 1941.
“For me optimism is two lovers walking into the sunset arm in arm. Or maybe into the sunrise – whatever appeals to you.”
Born in 1928 – Jean Vanier, Canadian philosopher and humanitarian, founder of L’Arche.
“I believe every act of violence is also a message that needs to be understood. Violence should not be answered just by greater violence but by real understanding. We must ask: ‘Where is the violence coming from? What is its meaning?”
Jean Vanier died today, 7 May 2019.
Born in 1912 – Bayard Rustin, American activist.
“My activism did not spring from my being gay, or, for that matter, from my being black. Rather, it is rooted fundamentally in my Quaker upbringing and the values that were instilled in me by my grandparents who reared me…..The racial injustice that was present in this country during my youth was a challenge to my belief in the oneness of the human family.”
Born in 1883 – Nikos Kazantzakis, Greek philosopher, author, and playwright.
“A prophet is the one who, when everyone else despairs, hopes. And when everyone else hopes, he despairs. You’ll ask me why. It’s because he has mastered the Great Secret: that the Wheel turns.”
Thomas to Jesus, in Kazantzakis’s 1955 novel, The Last Temptation of Christ.
Born in 1941 – Bruno Ganz, Swiss actor.
Above: Ganz in the 2015 film, Heidi.
Bruno Ganz died today.
Born in 1965–Warren Ellis, Australian-French musician and composer.
Have a listen to Ellis’s band, Dirty Three:
Born in 1935: Mary Oliver, American poet.
“Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”
Today, Mary Oliver died.
Born in 1907 – Abraham Joshua Heschel, Polish-American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.
“Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement. ….get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”
Number 5 