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The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage
In his first major work since The Universal Christ, one of our most prominent spiritual voices offers a wholehearted and hope-filled model for living today, grounded in the timeless words of the Hebrew prophets.
How do we live compassionately in a time of violence and despair? What can we do with our private disappointments and the anger we feel over an unjust world? In his most personal book yet, Richard Rohr turns to the writings of the Jewish prophets, showing how some of the lesser-read books of the Bible offer us a path forward today.
The prophets’ writings echo the spectrum of human development. Beneath their initial fervor and their forceful words, there lies a profound lamentation about our shared human condition and the pain of the world. Yet, in their astute critiques of culture and institutions, and their movement from anger and lament to wholeness and hope, the prophets embody what Rohr calls holy disorder—a distinct approach to confronting malevolence and recognizing the wholeness of every living being.
Drawing on a century of Biblical scholarship and written in the warm, pastoral voice that has endeared millions to Rohr, The Tears of Things breathes new life into ancient wisdom and paves a path of enlightenment for anyone seeking a wholehearted way of living in a hurting world.
How do we live compassionately in a time of violence and despair? What can we do with our private disappointments and the anger we feel over an unjust world? In his most personal book yet, Richard Rohr turns to the writings of the Jewish prophets, showing how some of the lesser-read books of the Bible offer us a path forward today.
The prophets’ writings echo the spectrum of human development. Beneath their initial fervor and their forceful words, there lies a profound lamentation about our shared human condition and the pain of the world. Yet, in their astute critiques of culture and institutions, and their movement from anger and lament to wholeness and hope, the prophets embody what Rohr calls holy disorder—a distinct approach to confronting malevolence and recognizing the wholeness of every living being.
Drawing on a century of Biblical scholarship and written in the warm, pastoral voice that has endeared millions to Rohr, The Tears of Things breathes new life into ancient wisdom and paves a path of enlightenment for anyone seeking a wholehearted way of living in a hurting world.
173 pages, Hardcover
Published March 4, 2025
1690 people are currently reading
5400 people want to read
About the author
Richard Rohr
245 books2,336 followersFr. Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Fr. Richard's teaching is grounded in the Franciscan alternative orthodoxy—practices of contemplation and expressing itself in radical compassion, particularly for the socially marginalized.
Fr. Richard is author of numerous books, including Everything Belongs, Adam’s Return, The Naked Now, Breathing Under Water, Falling Upward, Immortal Diamond, Eager to Love, and The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation (with Mike Morrell).
Fr. Richard is academic Dean of the Living School for Action and Contemplation. Drawing upon Christianity's place within the Perennial Tradition, the mission of the Living School is to produce compassionate and powerfully learned individuals who will work for positive change in the world based on awareness of our common union with God and all beings. Visit cac.org for more information.
Fr. Richard is author of numerous books, including Everything Belongs, Adam’s Return, The Naked Now, Breathing Under Water, Falling Upward, Immortal Diamond, Eager to Love, and The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation (with Mike Morrell).
Fr. Richard is academic Dean of the Living School for Action and Contemplation. Drawing upon Christianity's place within the Perennial Tradition, the mission of the Living School is to produce compassionate and powerfully learned individuals who will work for positive change in the world based on awareness of our common union with God and all beings. Visit cac.org for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
October 6, 2024
I began reading Richard Rohr's "The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage" in the days following my latest Tenderness Tour event. For a little over a week, I wheeled along the trails of Indiana in my wheelchair, over 150 miles total, raising money to eliminate medical debt for Hoosiers. Along the way, I encountered those who were hopeful and those who experienced despair. I encountered anger and I encountered joy. I encountered those filled with gratitude and those praying for a miracle.
In short, it felt like I was experiencing a world that would prepare me for reading "The Tears of Things," a book that easily becomes my favorite Rohr work because of its wild intelligence, absolute heart, immense hope, and incredible accessibility.
"The Tears of Things" is grounded within the timeless wisdom of the Hebrew prophets and explores a world in which we are called to somehow figure out how to live compassionately while being surrounded with violence and despair and anger and injustice. Rohr, with extensive research and remarkable insight, reveals how some of the lesser-read books of the Bible offer us a crucial, surprisingly clear path forward.
Rohr doesn't do this blindly. He vividly portrays the strengths and weaknesses of these prophets and realistically portrays their spectrum of human maturity. What he captures, and what nearly brought me to tears quite often, was how human beings evolved and grew into their spiritual maturity and abilities to serve.
For Rohr, these prophets exemplify the ability to practice what he calls "sacred criticism" - a distinct approach to confronting evil and justice that acknowledges the fullness of history, our interconnectedness, and the reality of a divine, universal love. Rohr offers inside into these prophets, an insight presented with such wonderful clarity that it feels as if they come to life within his pages. I found myself learning from and loving his words.
I must confess that I have not always found Rohr's writings accessible. While I adore his lectures and teachings, I've often struggled with his writings. Yet, there's been no struggle here - nothing but sacred learning and spiritual enchantment. While Rohr always writes with a pastoral voice, there's a warmth in this writing that perfectly complements his extensive and engaging biblical scholarship.
As I prepare for my next Tenderness Tour event, "The Tears of Things" prepares me to better engage in a compassionate way with a hurting world.
For this, I give thanks.
In short, it felt like I was experiencing a world that would prepare me for reading "The Tears of Things," a book that easily becomes my favorite Rohr work because of its wild intelligence, absolute heart, immense hope, and incredible accessibility.
"The Tears of Things" is grounded within the timeless wisdom of the Hebrew prophets and explores a world in which we are called to somehow figure out how to live compassionately while being surrounded with violence and despair and anger and injustice. Rohr, with extensive research and remarkable insight, reveals how some of the lesser-read books of the Bible offer us a crucial, surprisingly clear path forward.
Rohr doesn't do this blindly. He vividly portrays the strengths and weaknesses of these prophets and realistically portrays their spectrum of human maturity. What he captures, and what nearly brought me to tears quite often, was how human beings evolved and grew into their spiritual maturity and abilities to serve.
For Rohr, these prophets exemplify the ability to practice what he calls "sacred criticism" - a distinct approach to confronting evil and justice that acknowledges the fullness of history, our interconnectedness, and the reality of a divine, universal love. Rohr offers inside into these prophets, an insight presented with such wonderful clarity that it feels as if they come to life within his pages. I found myself learning from and loving his words.
I must confess that I have not always found Rohr's writings accessible. While I adore his lectures and teachings, I've often struggled with his writings. Yet, there's been no struggle here - nothing but sacred learning and spiritual enchantment. While Rohr always writes with a pastoral voice, there's a warmth in this writing that perfectly complements his extensive and engaging biblical scholarship.
As I prepare for my next Tenderness Tour event, "The Tears of Things" prepares me to better engage in a compassionate way with a hurting world.
For this, I give thanks.
May 24, 2025
Rohr’s swan song is as beautiful as all you would expect.
March 7, 2025
The Tears of Things by Richard Rohr is a book anyone longing to hear a word of hope from a prophet should read. This might be the most important book on the prophets since Heschel. In the introduction, Rohr describes a prophet as “an officially licensed critic, a devil’s advocate who names and exposes their own group’s shadow side!” (xiv). He goes on to say, “Prophets, then, are full truth-tellers, not fortune-tellers” (xix). The rest of the book invites us to experience the tears our souls—and our world—need. Because, as “the prophets knew, the soul must weep to be a soul at all” (6).
The first several chapters felt dense, full of insight and wisdom, but challenging at times to let penetrate deeply. But with each chapter, the messages of the biblical prophets became increasingly clear and relevant. Chapter 7 is the turning point where Rohr connects the tears he has been talking about to our lived experience, and from that point on the book is compelling, inspirational, a true page-turner.
If you want to learn more about the prophets, historically and in terms of contemporary relevance, read this book. Rohr makes each prophet come to life, helps us hear their messages, and encourages us to follow their example. At the same time, he reminds us, “God must be very humble; if not, he could not act through such fallible humans as all of us” (83). He also provides a framework for reading the prophetic books of the Bible, which I look forward to trying.
And if you are longing for prophetic voices right now, are losing hope, or feel like we must be living through end times, or at least exile, please, please read this book. You will be encouraged, comforted, and reminded that sometimes tears are exactly what we need. And you just might laugh, too, because Richard Rohr can be downright hilarious.
The first several chapters felt dense, full of insight and wisdom, but challenging at times to let penetrate deeply. But with each chapter, the messages of the biblical prophets became increasingly clear and relevant. Chapter 7 is the turning point where Rohr connects the tears he has been talking about to our lived experience, and from that point on the book is compelling, inspirational, a true page-turner.
If you want to learn more about the prophets, historically and in terms of contemporary relevance, read this book. Rohr makes each prophet come to life, helps us hear their messages, and encourages us to follow their example. At the same time, he reminds us, “God must be very humble; if not, he could not act through such fallible humans as all of us” (83). He also provides a framework for reading the prophetic books of the Bible, which I look forward to trying.
And if you are longing for prophetic voices right now, are losing hope, or feel like we must be living through end times, or at least exile, please, please read this book. You will be encouraged, comforted, and reminded that sometimes tears are exactly what we need. And you just might laugh, too, because Richard Rohr can be downright hilarious.
April 4, 2025
This is the type of book that helps me to hold on my faith.
March 18, 2025
I will never tire of reading Richard Rohr, he is truly one of the most brilliant and beautiful spiritual minds in existence.
As someone who grew up in the church, then kind of left it, then reconstructed and came back to it in a new way, Richard Rohr has truly been a godsend, and The Tears of Things is yet another great work from him.
The book is full of fascinating dives into the different Old Testament prophets while simultaneously never feeling like a stuffy commentary but rather using the arc of the prophets’ stories to make broader points about how small and petty we human beings tend to make god. Rohr’s said in the past humans often create a god that looks like them rather than trying to look like god themselves.
It’s a beautiful book that I will be obnoxiously recommending to everyone I know. The story of the angel with the torch and the pail will be stuck with me forever.
As someone who grew up in the church, then kind of left it, then reconstructed and came back to it in a new way, Richard Rohr has truly been a godsend, and The Tears of Things is yet another great work from him.
The book is full of fascinating dives into the different Old Testament prophets while simultaneously never feeling like a stuffy commentary but rather using the arc of the prophets’ stories to make broader points about how small and petty we human beings tend to make god. Rohr’s said in the past humans often create a god that looks like them rather than trying to look like god themselves.
It’s a beautiful book that I will be obnoxiously recommending to everyone I know. The story of the angel with the torch and the pail will be stuck with me forever.
July 20, 2025
I do love the prophets. A guide to how the prophets of old, and current prophetic voices, can lead us past our divisiveness and need for rewards, punishment, and scapegoats and just be more loving, dang it.
June 23, 2025
I really enjoyed this, and found myself challenged (as a good prophet ought to do) often by Father Richard’s own prophetic wisdom. First off, it’s no scholarly treatise on the Jewish prophets. One only needs to see its slim 180 pages to know that’s not what you’re getting here! Those reviews that express disappointment on these grounds seem to miss the point. This is a pastoral work, not a scholarly work. Which you’d expect from a man who’s spent fifty plus years as a pastor, a Franciscan friar, and not any claimed years as an Old Testament scholar. But Walter Brueggeman, old testament scholar extraordinaire of our generation, gives The Tears of Things a lovely jacket blurb, citing the work’s “long, discerning reflection” and Father Richard’s “immense pastoral sensibility” and which endorses this book as “a welcome entry point for us into an urgent biblical trajectory”.
Instead, Rohr does what he does best: speak from the heart, incorporating his fifty years of experience in the ministry with the overall story arc of the Hebrew prophets, to give us a somewhat philosophical and theological perspective on what the prophets were getting at.
Rohr has always been clear that the Bible is the word of God when taken in its totality, the entire story arc showing the work of God among humanity, and that individual books and sections of books are not to be isolated and treated as themselves the final word on what God thinks. That sort of literalist and fundamentalist take on scripture is what gets us stuck in the dualistic approach, caught up in a system of rewards and punishments that are really too small and petty for the God of the universe. So rather than digging in and seeing what Isaiah or Jeremiah or whomever meant by whatever chapter and verse, Father Richard treats each of the prophets as a character that himself undergoes a transformation from dualistic to nondualistic, from judgmental to universal love, finally capable of understanding the true nature of God.
Instead, Rohr does what he does best: speak from the heart, incorporating his fifty years of experience in the ministry with the overall story arc of the Hebrew prophets, to give us a somewhat philosophical and theological perspective on what the prophets were getting at.
Rohr has always been clear that the Bible is the word of God when taken in its totality, the entire story arc showing the work of God among humanity, and that individual books and sections of books are not to be isolated and treated as themselves the final word on what God thinks. That sort of literalist and fundamentalist take on scripture is what gets us stuck in the dualistic approach, caught up in a system of rewards and punishments that are really too small and petty for the God of the universe. So rather than digging in and seeing what Isaiah or Jeremiah or whomever meant by whatever chapter and verse, Father Richard treats each of the prophets as a character that himself undergoes a transformation from dualistic to nondualistic, from judgmental to universal love, finally capable of understanding the true nature of God.
April 22, 2025
I adore a thematic reading experience and often deliberately pick something to read during Holy Week. This year it was Father Richard Rohr's latest, The Tears of Things. I was already emailing with Convergent Books so asked if they could get me an eARC. Which they did. But I got about five pages in and went ahead and bought my own copy. Because this is a book I want to spend time with in the future. So yes, I do have a gifted eARC but I actually ended up listening to the audio which I bought myself.
I recently finished a book by John O'Donohue and am struck by the similarities between these two men. Of course there is the Catholic priest thing, but it is more than that. Both have a rich, deep vein of scholarly knowledge, an academic foundation, which feeds rather than contradicts the overflowing spirituality which makes them beloved by so many. They share an abundant, generous spirit. The reader feels like a treasured companion, not a nameless consumer. While neither is infallible, when I come across something which doesn't sit quite right, I tend to assume I don't have the experience or maturity (yet) to comprehend the point being made. I am immensely grateful that I stumbled across their teachings.
The Tears of Things is a book about prophets, particularly Biblical prophets, a topic I am invested in. I find the Bible to be absolutely fascinating, particularly the way the books are in conversation with each other. There are timeless truths hidden in plain sight, often disguised by familiarity. We think we know the Bible but don't actually read it. Perhaps the most shocking thing I discovered in seminary was how many people had never actually read the book cover to cover. If I was going to trust eternity to a book, you know I would read that thing over and over. And yet here were people, some already pastoring churches, who had never read huge portions of the text. I am thrilled Father Rohr is introducing these ancient truth tellers to today's truth seekers. I think this book is probably best read in community, taking the time to read the Bible passages, ponder the messages, and engage in a lively discussion. We have been wrestling with these words for thousands of years, it is time to join the conversation.
I recently finished a book by John O'Donohue and am struck by the similarities between these two men. Of course there is the Catholic priest thing, but it is more than that. Both have a rich, deep vein of scholarly knowledge, an academic foundation, which feeds rather than contradicts the overflowing spirituality which makes them beloved by so many. They share an abundant, generous spirit. The reader feels like a treasured companion, not a nameless consumer. While neither is infallible, when I come across something which doesn't sit quite right, I tend to assume I don't have the experience or maturity (yet) to comprehend the point being made. I am immensely grateful that I stumbled across their teachings.
The Tears of Things is a book about prophets, particularly Biblical prophets, a topic I am invested in. I find the Bible to be absolutely fascinating, particularly the way the books are in conversation with each other. There are timeless truths hidden in plain sight, often disguised by familiarity. We think we know the Bible but don't actually read it. Perhaps the most shocking thing I discovered in seminary was how many people had never actually read the book cover to cover. If I was going to trust eternity to a book, you know I would read that thing over and over. And yet here were people, some already pastoring churches, who had never read huge portions of the text. I am thrilled Father Rohr is introducing these ancient truth tellers to today's truth seekers. I think this book is probably best read in community, taking the time to read the Bible passages, ponder the messages, and engage in a lively discussion. We have been wrestling with these words for thousands of years, it is time to join the conversation.
July 15, 2025
I liked this! I think I liked the podcast that unpacks the books actually better than the book itself. Maybe their discussion puts it in gentler more believable terms or something. At times I wanted more backing or something for what he was saying but also I agreed with it. Could be lacking because I didn’t read the accompanying scriptures.
April 17, 2025
I’ve watched videos of Rohr, read a few of his books, and took a course on one of them. I have been inspired by some of his ideas, and I have great respect for his work as a whole. I fought my way through this one, as I have done with some of his other books, and it just wasn’t worth the time.
This is a book about the role of the prophet. Rohr started a school for aspiring prophets, and fancies himself, humbly, as a prophet. I agree with him that we need a prophet today, so you’d think I might be a likely person to appreciate his book, but here’s the thing: we’re fifty years into an era of greed, corruption, resurgent white supremacy, lawless abuse of minority rights, persecution of immigrants, extreme inequality, rising hunger homelessness and poverty, suppression of voting rights, and abandonment of international treaties, organizations, law, and commitments - including climate concerns.
My inner prophetic voice is screaming about where we have gone already and where we are about to go. Not Rohr. He seems to have spent too much time in the desert. A pity.
This is a book about the role of the prophet. Rohr started a school for aspiring prophets, and fancies himself, humbly, as a prophet. I agree with him that we need a prophet today, so you’d think I might be a likely person to appreciate his book, but here’s the thing: we’re fifty years into an era of greed, corruption, resurgent white supremacy, lawless abuse of minority rights, persecution of immigrants, extreme inequality, rising hunger homelessness and poverty, suppression of voting rights, and abandonment of international treaties, organizations, law, and commitments - including climate concerns.
My inner prophetic voice is screaming about where we have gone already and where we are about to go. Not Rohr. He seems to have spent too much time in the desert. A pity.
April 18, 2025
The tears of things: book notes
* Law is not the end but a boundary for the human ego
* Most thing a have and deserve tears
* Order - disorder - reorder
* Every viewpoint is a view from a point
* Power distorts truth
* We know nothing about God so let’s start in humility when we learn
* In our time it is always us vs them
* Loyalty is a warped form of codependency
* God uses our flaws to bring us to Him - we need to be aware of our flaws
* We create God in our own self justifying narrative
* The gift of tears offer the gift of healing
Tears reveal the depth in which we care - where the spirit works
* Tears bring us to the outer world and out of our isolation
* The body itself holds pain and we must be held and healed
* We no longer live as if we are apart of a bigger story
* Crying teaches us to hold the emotion instead of projecting it elseware
* Deeper love has to include giving up control
* Law is not the end but a boundary for the human ego
* Most thing a have and deserve tears
* Order - disorder - reorder
* Every viewpoint is a view from a point
* Power distorts truth
* We know nothing about God so let’s start in humility when we learn
* In our time it is always us vs them
* Loyalty is a warped form of codependency
* God uses our flaws to bring us to Him - we need to be aware of our flaws
* We create God in our own self justifying narrative
* The gift of tears offer the gift of healing
Tears reveal the depth in which we care - where the spirit works
* Tears bring us to the outer world and out of our isolation
* The body itself holds pain and we must be held and healed
* We no longer live as if we are apart of a bigger story
* Crying teaches us to hold the emotion instead of projecting it elseware
* Deeper love has to include giving up control
October 15, 2025
Incredibly timely for the place our society finds itself today, but likely timeless as these problems we are facing will repeat themselves forever. Highly recommend, it was a balm to my weary heart.
June 20, 2025
This is a fine devotional read. I found it is probably most relatable to Catholics and men. Rohr seems to especially desire to move people from anger to grief, which I think is very helpful for those in power (white men, for instance) and less helpful for those with less power (women and minorities). In my opinion, Rohr does not make enough room for the value of anger and instead relegates it to a less mature state. I find this problematic, because anger is actually a very important emotion that is also connected to power and social status. In American society, white men tend to be allowed to be angry while disallowed other emotions like sadness, while women and minorities (especially black men) are not allowed to be angry but can show sadness. Giving all people the same prescription for spiritual maturity is thus very unhelpful and potentially harmful, reinforcing cultural norms and power structures all over again.
So overall, this book has many helpful points, and for them I’m thankful. But I take some contention with his view of less mature and more mature prophets, because I think he reads his own journey and the journeys of many men he’s worked with into his interpretation. He also cites his own work more than anyone else’s and does not reference the work of any biblical scholars. An interesting devotional with some helpful ideas? Yes. A credible guide on the “best” way to read the prophetic biblical books? No.
I will at least say that Rohr highly encourages people to read the prophets for themselves, and I think he makes these parts of the biblical text more accessible to those without formal education. For that, I’m very thankful.
So overall, this book has many helpful points, and for them I’m thankful. But I take some contention with his view of less mature and more mature prophets, because I think he reads his own journey and the journeys of many men he’s worked with into his interpretation. He also cites his own work more than anyone else’s and does not reference the work of any biblical scholars. An interesting devotional with some helpful ideas? Yes. A credible guide on the “best” way to read the prophetic biblical books? No.
I will at least say that Rohr highly encourages people to read the prophets for themselves, and I think he makes these parts of the biblical text more accessible to those without formal education. For that, I’m very thankful.
May 27, 2025
“God loves everybody, don’t remind me” - Matt Berninger, Graceless, The National. Incredible book that really challenged me to get over myself and look at others (namely opposing political side) with some more humanity. Also forced me to ask myself some good theological questions as I start to rebuild(?) my faith (I think).
April 21, 2025
I have been using this audio as my daily scripture study and decided I’m going to have to purchase it, so I can take notes.
I have absolutely loved Rohr’s work and it’s been incredibly meaningful for me to grow and mature past the binaries around us. I feel like this builds on this prior work by deep diving into overlooked Hebrew prophets and their own spiritual development: from righteous anger to lamentation and grief in humanities injustices and oppression and movement into a position of compassion for all.
the books of these prophets focus on people who love their group and tradition, and also see the shadow side (jung comes into play) and facing it and developing “sacred criticism.” I am so grateful for Rohr’s work that challenges every reader, this exists to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable—as spiritual writings should.
I have absolutely loved Rohr’s work and it’s been incredibly meaningful for me to grow and mature past the binaries around us. I feel like this builds on this prior work by deep diving into overlooked Hebrew prophets and their own spiritual development: from righteous anger to lamentation and grief in humanities injustices and oppression and movement into a position of compassion for all.
the books of these prophets focus on people who love their group and tradition, and also see the shadow side (jung comes into play) and facing it and developing “sacred criticism.” I am so grateful for Rohr’s work that challenges every reader, this exists to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable—as spiritual writings should.
May 7, 2025
An excellent take on the biblical prophets and what prophecy is all about. Short and to the point.
At one point he explained God's forgiveness as God "choosing relationship over His rules." And I'm like, hold on you're gonna type that out and just move on while I gotta chew on that thought-provoking concept for the rest of my life?!
Oof. That'll preach.
At one point he explained God's forgiveness as God "choosing relationship over His rules." And I'm like, hold on you're gonna type that out and just move on while I gotta chew on that thought-provoking concept for the rest of my life?!
Oof. That'll preach.
December 19, 2025
Amazing book that reconfigures what a "victorious" Christian Life should look like! Highly recommend for all serious believers!
August 16, 2025
This book is a great companion to the author’s “Falling Upward.” Trying to focus the reader on shifting from s stage one level of faith from that book’s to its fourth stage of faith. Acknowledging the need for a disorder and a rebellious nature but putting in into context that is leads back to a renewed sense of order that brings progress not regression. This book recognizes the need for all stages of faith, otherwise we wouldn’t have a solid basis to grow and progress from. Below are addresses the need for both disorder and order and their dependency on one another.
Truth and prophecy must be subjected to the refiner’s fire of discernment. As we are slowly discovering with wildfires, a healthy forest needs to have its overgrowth and undergrowth cleared out, to prevent a more destructive future blaze. This is the more common way the metaphor of fire is used in the Bible – not as an element of torture, but ass a purifying force.
Without self-correcting path, we all become Narcissus, falling in love with own image in the water. Those who love order need to be humbled by the experience of holy disorder. Those working through disorder need the insight to reorder, plus a major respect for some basic order (the true meaning of a conservative), and any new reorder (which progressives love) will soon need a further disordering. It is the natural flow of grace, for both of our individual lives and the lives of our institutions. The prophets tell us that we can and even must trust this cycle of living and dying.
Prophetic speech is never arbitrary or just interesting. It is always necessary speech – the truth that no one is asking for, or even expecting, but that desperately needs to be said for the field to be widened and deepened.
It is counterproductive to our own gospel message to keep excommunicating and dismissing our would-be reformers. Without a positive internal program for ongoing reform, we will just keep calling forth rebels.
Reformers from without are too easy to dismiss and easy to exclude. Sometimes one must be trained and blessed for the prophetic role of official devil’s advocate from inside the community. Then there is no longer work for the “devil” but for the angels of light – and cannot easily be dismissed. Then holier disorder can bear fruit and become a new source of an order founded on God’s love for everyone. No exceptions.
Prophets need to live on the edge of the inside if they are to speak from a proper perspective – definitely not in the comfortable center, but also not on the outside throwing stones without empathy for the full situation. Most of us settle for a more defined position: fervent insider, rebels against any belonging system, or too jaded to place our bet anywhere.
God forgives undeservedly, even after direct disobedience! This is love that waits and hopes and desires, working toward surrender and trust. Its gifts us a new covenant that we can actually fulfill, just not perfectly by ourselves. Only God can fill in all the gaps. Henceforth, there is no such thing as deserving or earning anything. All is grace.
Just because a person is passionate and skilled at gathering crowds does not mean that she or he knows how or where to lead people beyond that. As Jesus says, “many false prophets will arise, and lead many astray.” In our times, it is common to confuse articulate passion with prophecy when it is often simply untransformed anger that will not change anything in the long term or lead us anywhere good.
Passion and prophecy are not the same thing. Contrarians are often just contrarians. We must always ask, Does the energy of the prophet point to radically to the divine or stop with pyrotechnics and oratory of the prophet himself?
I have seen, so many Christians, on the one hand, and justice advocates on the other, who are morally correct in their actions but spiritually quite immature – doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. There are others who assume they are saved by doing church rules right and are not really by the pure grace and experienced love of God that radically rearranges our consciousness. Both groups are, in a sense, eternally baptized with water but not the “fire and Spirit” of Jesus’ baptism.
God loves us because we are God’s, not because we are right. Unconditional divine love is the fruit and result of this work of God in the soul. Their clear conclusion, trust, and proclamation is the singular work or a mature and true prophet.
Most folks invariably apologize for or try to hide tears, but they do not understand that tears invite participation in a wider world and pull us out of our isolation. When we cry we are revealing our truest, most much less show, this secret side of ourselves. Tears are a part of our testimony that need to be shared. Because tears are a form of allowing more than a willing, they lend themselves much more easily to the language of the spirit.
The law of the Old Testament served to guard us until Christ came and we could move into trust. Now that this new trust level has shown itself, we no longer need the old guardian. Do not do, but allow and trust and wait, as Jesus advised his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane.
Anger hardens us, while sadness saves our souls. The Bible both demands that we grow up and allows our notion of God to grow up right along with it. In the prophetic text, God, like the prophets themselves, evolves from anger and fear to tears to love, and to a deepening relationship based in trust and truth, not threat and fear.
Who of us knows much about love in the early years of our maturing? Who of us knows anything about truth when we just start to get educated in history, science, philosophy, or any other important topic? The ego cannot be presumed to read reality correctly at all. That is why most religions emphasize some kind of foundational conversion, transformation, enlightenment, new thought, rebirth, or different mind that all of us need to adopt. Like the prophets, we also must grow and change and move from dualistic anger to emphatic tears – and we must recognize that God has done the same.
Truth and prophecy must be subjected to the refiner’s fire of discernment. As we are slowly discovering with wildfires, a healthy forest needs to have its overgrowth and undergrowth cleared out, to prevent a more destructive future blaze. This is the more common way the metaphor of fire is used in the Bible – not as an element of torture, but ass a purifying force.
Without self-correcting path, we all become Narcissus, falling in love with own image in the water. Those who love order need to be humbled by the experience of holy disorder. Those working through disorder need the insight to reorder, plus a major respect for some basic order (the true meaning of a conservative), and any new reorder (which progressives love) will soon need a further disordering. It is the natural flow of grace, for both of our individual lives and the lives of our institutions. The prophets tell us that we can and even must trust this cycle of living and dying.
Prophetic speech is never arbitrary or just interesting. It is always necessary speech – the truth that no one is asking for, or even expecting, but that desperately needs to be said for the field to be widened and deepened.
It is counterproductive to our own gospel message to keep excommunicating and dismissing our would-be reformers. Without a positive internal program for ongoing reform, we will just keep calling forth rebels.
Reformers from without are too easy to dismiss and easy to exclude. Sometimes one must be trained and blessed for the prophetic role of official devil’s advocate from inside the community. Then there is no longer work for the “devil” but for the angels of light – and cannot easily be dismissed. Then holier disorder can bear fruit and become a new source of an order founded on God’s love for everyone. No exceptions.
Prophets need to live on the edge of the inside if they are to speak from a proper perspective – definitely not in the comfortable center, but also not on the outside throwing stones without empathy for the full situation. Most of us settle for a more defined position: fervent insider, rebels against any belonging system, or too jaded to place our bet anywhere.
God forgives undeservedly, even after direct disobedience! This is love that waits and hopes and desires, working toward surrender and trust. Its gifts us a new covenant that we can actually fulfill, just not perfectly by ourselves. Only God can fill in all the gaps. Henceforth, there is no such thing as deserving or earning anything. All is grace.
Just because a person is passionate and skilled at gathering crowds does not mean that she or he knows how or where to lead people beyond that. As Jesus says, “many false prophets will arise, and lead many astray.” In our times, it is common to confuse articulate passion with prophecy when it is often simply untransformed anger that will not change anything in the long term or lead us anywhere good.
Passion and prophecy are not the same thing. Contrarians are often just contrarians. We must always ask, Does the energy of the prophet point to radically to the divine or stop with pyrotechnics and oratory of the prophet himself?
I have seen, so many Christians, on the one hand, and justice advocates on the other, who are morally correct in their actions but spiritually quite immature – doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. There are others who assume they are saved by doing church rules right and are not really by the pure grace and experienced love of God that radically rearranges our consciousness. Both groups are, in a sense, eternally baptized with water but not the “fire and Spirit” of Jesus’ baptism.
God loves us because we are God’s, not because we are right. Unconditional divine love is the fruit and result of this work of God in the soul. Their clear conclusion, trust, and proclamation is the singular work or a mature and true prophet.
Most folks invariably apologize for or try to hide tears, but they do not understand that tears invite participation in a wider world and pull us out of our isolation. When we cry we are revealing our truest, most much less show, this secret side of ourselves. Tears are a part of our testimony that need to be shared. Because tears are a form of allowing more than a willing, they lend themselves much more easily to the language of the spirit.
The law of the Old Testament served to guard us until Christ came and we could move into trust. Now that this new trust level has shown itself, we no longer need the old guardian. Do not do, but allow and trust and wait, as Jesus advised his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane.
Anger hardens us, while sadness saves our souls. The Bible both demands that we grow up and allows our notion of God to grow up right along with it. In the prophetic text, God, like the prophets themselves, evolves from anger and fear to tears to love, and to a deepening relationship based in trust and truth, not threat and fear.
Who of us knows much about love in the early years of our maturing? Who of us knows anything about truth when we just start to get educated in history, science, philosophy, or any other important topic? The ego cannot be presumed to read reality correctly at all. That is why most religions emphasize some kind of foundational conversion, transformation, enlightenment, new thought, rebirth, or different mind that all of us need to adopt. Like the prophets, we also must grow and change and move from dualistic anger to emphatic tears – and we must recognize that God has done the same.
October 2, 2025
When the biblical prophets are invoked, it often seems to be for their capacity for making predictions, with ensuing discussions focused on the veracity and/or interpretation of such forecasting. Maybe pondering over prooftexting is easier than actually reckoning with things like repentance and uplifting humanity, which is why it is nice to see Richard Rohr exploring such issues here. As Rohr comes from a Christian perspective, he highlights something that many of his co-religionists miss in that all the “love your neighbor” bits weren’t formed out of thin air in the New Testament but have ample precedent in the biblical tradition.
I do have some quibbles with a few lines lacking appropriate precision here and there. For example, a comment that “the prophets have never been emphasized in synagogue and church preaching to this day” ignores the tradition of the weekly haftara reading present in all forms of Judaism or the fact that analogous practices are found in many (if not all) churches. No need to make sweeping generalizations, especially if one is not as familiar with every tradition being corralled together. Similarly, an offhand remark on the Franciscans being “quickly tamed” by capitalism in the 13th century seems a bit questionable when one considers that the economic situation of that specifically cited period was perhaps more of a very proto-capitalism at most.
I don’t mean to be overly pedantic. Rohr has forged a long career as a mystic who works to bridge divisions and move people towards a more inclusive spirituality that considers the needs of the Other in bringing the world together. This book continues that legacy with a cohesive insight into how the prophets of old participated in a rather unique system of bringing a critique to own religious community. Their role was that of a sort of spiritual ombudsman, providing guidance from an insider point of view that would be wisely continued today in order to prevent a self-righteous overlooking of one’s own ability to fall short of the goal.
I do have some quibbles with a few lines lacking appropriate precision here and there. For example, a comment that “the prophets have never been emphasized in synagogue and church preaching to this day” ignores the tradition of the weekly haftara reading present in all forms of Judaism or the fact that analogous practices are found in many (if not all) churches. No need to make sweeping generalizations, especially if one is not as familiar with every tradition being corralled together. Similarly, an offhand remark on the Franciscans being “quickly tamed” by capitalism in the 13th century seems a bit questionable when one considers that the economic situation of that specifically cited period was perhaps more of a very proto-capitalism at most.
I don’t mean to be overly pedantic. Rohr has forged a long career as a mystic who works to bridge divisions and move people towards a more inclusive spirituality that considers the needs of the Other in bringing the world together. This book continues that legacy with a cohesive insight into how the prophets of old participated in a rather unique system of bringing a critique to own religious community. Their role was that of a sort of spiritual ombudsman, providing guidance from an insider point of view that would be wisely continued today in order to prevent a self-righteous overlooking of one’s own ability to fall short of the goal.
October 19, 2025
Oh man -I simultaneously loved the premise of this book and strongly disagreed with rohr’s view of the gospel. I do agree that we can and should learn from how the prophets moved from anger to lament and weeping of brokenness, and I appreciated a book that explored that. I loved this quote from the book: “Decisive and harsh judgments slip away in the tracks of tears.”
That being said, rohr is a universalist and makes pretty bold statements about this in the book, taking very untraditional views of sin and eternity. Because of that, I wouldn’t widely recommend the book and honestly view it more as a secular book that uses biblical prophets as examples rather than a theological book that shows us how the heart of God models weeping over brokenness.
That being said, rohr is a universalist and makes pretty bold statements about this in the book, taking very untraditional views of sin and eternity. Because of that, I wouldn’t widely recommend the book and honestly view it more as a secular book that uses biblical prophets as examples rather than a theological book that shows us how the heart of God models weeping over brokenness.
March 16, 2025
Rohr is my favourite spiritual writer. I’ve learned so much reading his ideas and this book was no different. I also learned how much I don’t understand. And I hope as I learn and mature I will eventually understand what he’s talking about in this book.
I also felt some despair, because I just don’t see humanity getting here. I could be wrong, I hope I’m wrong but recent events make me question a lot of things.
One thing he writes about that does give me hope is the whole cycle of order to disorder to order again in another form that is usually better. May it be so.
I also felt some despair, because I just don’t see humanity getting here. I could be wrong, I hope I’m wrong but recent events make me question a lot of things.
One thing he writes about that does give me hope is the whole cycle of order to disorder to order again in another form that is usually better. May it be so.
August 20, 2025
“All grace is provenient grace—the kind that makes you desire or want grace to begin with! Grace is not what we deserve by doing right things, but rather a gift freely given by the Creator in the very act of creation, even if we do not yet believe its source. Knowing the source somehow just makes it easier to keep saying ‘Thank you.’…Grace is one of those realities that is everywhere once you stop weighing, counting and deserving.”
September 11, 2025
Spiritual teacher and practitioner, Richard Rohr, takes a close look at the writings of the prophets of the Hebrew Bible. In almost all of them he notices a movement from anger and judgment to sadness and weeping, culminating in praise directed to God for God's compassion, kindness, and mercy. He sees this movement as a source of healing. Tears, rather than anger, come from the most true part of ourselves. "Anger hardens, while sadness saves" (147) Rohr states. In addition to what it teaches about the Prophets, the book is a necessary counterbalance to the outrage that seems to define our present time. Actual rating: 3.75.
October 7, 2025
The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage by Fr Richard Rohr.
“Richard Rohr offers a wholehearted and hope-filled model for the world today, grounded in the timeless wisdom of the Hebrew prophets.”
I’m going to continue re-reading this. Highly recommend.
Read it along with listening to the Everything Belongs podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
“Richard Rohr offers a wholehearted and hope-filled model for the world today, grounded in the timeless wisdom of the Hebrew prophets.”
I’m going to continue re-reading this. Highly recommend.
Read it along with listening to the Everything Belongs podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
December 22, 2025
Rohr is a Franciscan friar, teacher of Christian Mysticism and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in New Mexico. So his perspective on things is unique; grounded in Christianity but not dogmatically aligned with the political nonsense of our time.
In this book, he focuses on several prophets from the Old Testament, with a focus on suffering and tears, rather than on anger and indignation - the flavor of our present day.
So, interesting points made from a gifted writer.
In this book, he focuses on several prophets from the Old Testament, with a focus on suffering and tears, rather than on anger and indignation - the flavor of our present day.
So, interesting points made from a gifted writer.
December 10, 2025
This book is so good and the timing for me was perfect. I loved learning more about the prophets and seeing the patterns that Fr. Rohr points out. It helped me to confront disorder as an opportunity for growth. I also enjoyed listening to the Everything Belongs podcast alongside of reading the book.
September 27, 2025
Finished this at the priory today. It’s our Oblate reading selection for the year that we discuss each month together, but I couldn’t put it down. It’s very hopeful and teaches us how to replace anger with love, and how to be the light in the darkness.
May 26, 2025
Creative, insightful, practical & timely.
August 29, 2025
Don’t even have the words to put to this one other than it was a balm for the soul.
December 8, 2025
Thoughtful, spiritually enlightening.
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