Share Your Thoughts on the Daily and Weekly Reflections
Thanks to a wonderful suggestion from one of our reading group participants, Jack Given, we are going to devote this blog (in between our reading groups) to discussions on the daily and weekly reflections, available as free eLetters. It’s open and informal - when a reflection resonates with you in some way, click the link at the bottom of the reflection. It will bring you here. Post a comment by clicking on the “comments” link just below this post. It might be helpful to start your comment by noting the date and title of the reflection to which you are referring. The daily reflections are from Henri Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith published by HarperCollins in 1997. The weekly reflections are prepared by writers who have been influenced by Henri’s work.
Not a subscriber to these reflections? Click on “free eLetters” in the blogroll, from blog home page.
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August 31st, 2010 @ 11:05 am
Hi Ralph,
Thanks for your feedback on the change to the order. We were getting some requests to reverse the order so that the most recent comment was at the top so we changed it. Personally, I thought having the recent comments close to the comment box would be more convenient. I’d be happy to hear from others about their preference.
Many thanks and blessings,
Maureen
Resource Coordinator, Henri Nouwen Society
August 30th, 2010 @ 5:19 pm
Perhaps it is habit or old age, but I find the change of putting the last post at the top and the need to scroll to the botton to make my own posting sort of annying. Does anyoone else agree?
August 30th, 2010 @ 2:49 am
Since I have been receiving these Web pages I have grown through their use and this set is Very useful to me personnally.
August 29th, 2010 @ 9:05 am
I’m finding a way of honoring and remembering my loved ones that are no longer here. In remembering times spent together, I am able to have this sense memory of them. I’m comforted and do indeed feel connected to them. Remembering our interactions I am inspired by their lessons that continue on.
As I get older the veil becomes more thin and more of my loved ones are on the other side. So nice to have them beside me.
August 28th, 2010 @ 11:13 am
It is inspiring to bring us back to perspective how to live at peace with those around us.
I have been suffering from sickness since last year – feeling up and down whenever my health conditions improve or deteriorate. My focus had been all on myself as I felt this was the worst time of my life and I had been the weakest. Not until I have realized that in fact I am a well-blessed child of the Lord, who only knew to blame Dad and Mom not being caring enough to fulfill my wants. I have come to realize that, despite my limitations, my Lord loves me as He does to all of his beloved people.
I felt very lonely and helpless when I had to bed rest for months and received a number of medical treatments. I was waiting for my family and friends to come and care about me. In fact, quite a number of them did. However, the loneliness did not go away and the fear of getting worse lingered – almost lost in hope and stuck in despair.
Then, I have come to realize that suffering applies to all though in different ways and intensity. Lord Jesus said that we have peace within Him although we would have suffering on earth. It is so important that we do not just live physically but also spiritually. I have then started to call my friends, those good old ones and also those not seen for quite some time. I am glad that I have had two long frozen friendships unfrozen and have got contact again.
After resuming work gradually, I have started to realize what matters is not only a regular paycheck. Refocusing is so important and the Lord has been helping me be patient with those that I should be patient with and stand up for reasons that I should do so despite of my limitations and physical weakness.
I know I would have quite a journey to learn the lesson that He has given me but He has helped me to move a step ahead towards the destination.
August 18th, 2010 @ 11:46 am
Our Poverty, God’s Dwelling Place, August 18, 2010
Is it just me, or have we, as the body of Christ, willingly disposed of our God-ordained grace and responsibility to be the primary caretakers and providers to the poor? It seems that in my lifetime, the church, our Catholic church, is subtly being pushed aside by those in society who see Government as the primary caregiver to the poor. We need to not only look within for our poor “spot” and allow our loving God in, but take back our proclaimed duty to care for the poor first. Let us pray that the church in America and Canada, as well as throughout the World, once again becomes the first responders to the needs of the poor. Thank you and God Bless all.
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:52 am
I was conflicted today by the idea that increasing my favor with God and with others happens in that space of hidden intimacy and time devoted to God. How contrary to the ways that I seek out the favor of others through my own merit, accomplishments, and “being seen.”
Also, it is a good reminder to continue to trust God for intimacy and love from others and to open the way for me to learn about real love.
August 10th, 2010 @ 7:37 am
“If we want to be witnesses like Jesus, our only concern should be to be as alive with the love of God as Jesus was.”
This sentence from today’s meditation reminds me again of the deep love between the members of the Trinity. Jesus, the Son, was able to go into the deep humility of being fully human, because he was certain of the Love of the Father and the Spirit.
Indeed, I find this in my own life over and over again: the more I dwell in God’s love for me - a love so deep and constant - the more I am able to love others and be a blessing to them.
August 8th, 2010 @ 9:17 am
Paul Elder: I have requested the book from my local library. Thanks.
August 7th, 2010 @ 10:01 am
Henri discusses his experience with these sentiments himself in many books as well especially toward the latter part of his life…..
Shalom
August 7th, 2010 @ 9:55 am
“Acedia’ is an excellent recommendation.
Blessings to all
August 6th, 2010 @ 10:54 am
Hello, I was driving the other day by a farmers field of corn and the corn had just started coming up but among the corn were these tall , tall weeds and I thought how interesting God should show me this..as life is very interesting so no matter how we try there is or may always be some trouble amoung us but with God’s help we can over come it ..God Bless All
August 4th, 2010 @ 12:50 pm
Dear Ralph
Try to read “Acedia” by Kathleen Norris. It may help as you could be suffering from this; we all do from time to time.
Blessings
July 31st, 2010 @ 8:25 am
I certainly have cried out from time to time, “My God, my God, why have you foresaken me?”
This reminds me of the familiar saying, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” When I do not sense God’s love in my physical world, nor in my emotional world, I can tell myself intellectually that he is present and cares for me, but I do not “feel it” spriritually. This (hopefully) temporary loss of faith and weakened hope and detached love situation can only be broken either through shear will power (I will DECIDE to believe) or by God’s direct action in my life (I see that what good is happening comes directly in answer to my prayer).
July 30th, 2010 @ 5:22 am
I am a new Christian and this website helps me every day - some days more than others. I live in a catholic country (where there are no C of E churches) and so I find it difficult to keep God in my mind every day. I just KNOW that if I had access to a C of E church and its people, I would be able too “feel” God’s presence more. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Lord with all my heart but I have no communication with people of “like mind” and so I’m hoping that this forum will help me. God’s blessings to you all. Lynda
July 26th, 2010 @ 9:15 am
GOD has given me the insight that thru daily prayers and meditation I keep my spiritual life in line.
Jesus Christ is Risen!
July 24th, 2010 @ 11:49 am
Quite simply, I think we are called to be good neighbors to all of God’s creation, without worrying about our personal cost.
July 24th, 2010 @ 5:53 am
The reflection about our moods touched me today because as I awoke this morning I didn’t want to enter into my morning prayer. This is something I have been doing for years but some reason I just didn’t feel like my usual self.
I did sit to meditate and the piece of scripture I chose was the one of Jesus healing the blind man. In the quiet, God transformed my mood and Blessed me profoundly. Those who brought the blind person to Jesus was really the focus of my prayer and I wondered how many times I had been blind to the needs of others - they cared enough and presented the need to the One who could bring about wholeness. The deeper I went into my prayer I realized that even though the story took place over 2000 years ago, I was the blind person who had been brought to Jesus, some of my own sight was restored today - the blind person who was brought to Jesus was me!!!
July 23rd, 2010 @ 9:06 am
A great reminder from today’s reflection not to let our emotions rule:
“As we feel our emotions shift we must connect our spirits with the Spirit of God…”
As St. Paul tells us, “for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5).
July 20th, 2010 @ 7:48 pm
This interpretation of “who is my neighbor?” surprised me. I always thought the parable of the Good Samaritan was told to illustrate that a neighbor is one who responds to another’s need when encountered. This interpretation seems to say the neighbor is the person who administers to my need-
Is he implying that the person who would not cross the road for me is NOT my neighbor? That would leave me simply RE-acting- not ACTING.
July 20th, 2010 @ 8:09 am
I love Henri’s thoughts but with the Good Samaritan and the ‘neighbour’ I’m not quite sure I agree. Jesus said, “then go and do likewise.” We are to go and do as the ‘one who crossed the road.” ie. WE are to BE the neighbour! WE are to cross the road to the one in need. Please correct me if I am wrong.
July 14th, 2010 @ 10:37 am
Dear Sharon: You are an example of the power of God’s love. You exemplify God’s grace. I hope that some day I may have the courage and strength to love and forgive (but not forget) when someone treats me badly. I cannot imagine surviving what you have survived, let alone be willing to forgive your attacker afterward. God bless you and your “true husband.”
July 12th, 2010 @ 12:20 pm
Thank you Sharon for such an honest and open story. I am struggling with the loss of a relationship with my only sister as she deals with leaving abuse in 1998. I try to understand how she is “protecting me and my family” by having no relationship with us. Abuse has so many vicitms.
Your message actually gives me hope as I continue to pray for this healing of our realtionship.
Shalom
July 8th, 2010 @ 6:45 pm
Going back to the article about taking up our cross and following Jesus I would like to add a few comments of my own.
I too lived through a childhood of abuse. This conditioned me to accept relationships that were undesirable but were “comfortable” for me because that was all I saw in my home between my parents.
I survived my last marriage and the knife assault that ended it. He chased me down the street the day I told him I wanted to end the 24 year marriage and when he caught up to me knocked me to the ground, sat on me and stabbed me 27 times.
It took me four years to divorce this monster. He just died in prison in January; an event I prayed for since he was also arraigned on 2 counts of soliciting murder for hire from his cell. (I was forced to leave me home and move to another area. I had to wait 3 years before the court allowed me to sell my own home because my divorce was not final.) I asked God to search his heart and if he only found evil and ill intent towards me that would He please remove him from the face of the earth.
My new life is wonderful. I am free to do whatever I please with no one controlling and dominating my life.
I came to know Jesus the night I was assaulted. I prayed fervently right there for Him to intervene and save me. It wasn’t 30 seconds later that a car turned off the main road into my rural neighborhood and then make the final turn onto my street where I lay in a pool of blood.
I NEVER felt this was MY cross and no one who suffers from domestic abuse should ever feel that way. I feel the cross that I bear is the one I have now. After 1 year in physical therapy to regain the use of my hands and 3 years in emotional counseling I feel MY cross is to let this go.
This is something that I will never forget (having a knife stuck into my mouth and having my neck ripped open, and then being stabbed in the chest, back and abdomen) When I was put into the ambulance they could not get an IV into me; I had lost so much blood and later required 5 units in the emergency room surgery.
It is my cross to forgive and let it go. This is what Jesus did, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do…”
Forgiveness is NOT an easy task after such a horrifying experience. To help me with my task of forgiveness I say the Lord’s Prayer each and every time I have ill thoughts about my ex-husband and his daughters who took all my marital assets and robbed my home while I was in the hospital in a coma for days afterward. It took me 4 years to get what was left of my marital assets back.
I pray for them often, that God will show them mercy and that they will come to know, love and serve God before their last day on earth. I pray for souls; that God God will show mercy on them when they depart this world.
In Ephesians 5:22-23 it tells us: Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
This passage is not giving free reign for men to rule over their wives. “as Christ is head of the church” shows us that Jesus loved his followers, his “church” and He showed them love and patience time and time again in all his teachings.
Ephesians 5:25-28 goes on to tells us: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
I am married to a wonderful Christian man who treats me tenderly with the love, respect and dignity that I deserve. I praise God daily for this wonderful gift.
My sad story has a wonderful happy ending. When I was down and out my now husband picked up my cross and helped me carry it to the altar after a 3 year courtship, where I set it down, once and for all.
Sharon
July 6th, 2010 @ 6:05 pm
I’m new here although I have read many of Henri’s books and have learnt much from his wisdom.What Nancy has written I’m sure was inspired.At the moment my husband and I are foster parents to five teens.Each with life stories horrid enough to curl your hair.One daughter who is fourteen is threatening suicide.She has seen all sorts of specialists but refuses to speak.I bless her and pray for her she is such a beautiful person.We love her so much but….Sometimes I wonder if we are well suited to help this precious youngster.
July 4th, 2010 @ 5:02 am
Well said and well felt, Nancy. God bless you.
July 3rd, 2010 @ 8:22 am
Dear Doreen,
I too have felt the way as you have stated about living with abuse. I had a lifetime of abuse in my home from my childhood into my adult married life. When I heard someone teach this lesson about loving your enemy and about picking up your cross and carrying it, it was a hard bitter pill for me to swallow. I thought as you do, that God was calling me to grin and bear it. Shut up and carry the cross of abuse and follow Christ. I read it as put up with it if you REALLY love God. “Love your enemy. Do good to those who harm you. If they slap you on one cheek, offer the other. It was far too much for me to accept. But over the years of study and counselling I began to learn what God was saying here. He is not suggesting that we stay in the heat of the fire. Jesus said that there comes a time in our lives where we must pick up the sword and defend ourselves. Violence against us is one of those times. The Cross that we carry has to do with the aftermath. The forgiveness that comes when we choose to love our enemy. Baring the painstaking task of discovering what love really means. Learning that we have a right to dignity and treated with respect and how to gain those rights God’s way. When we follow Christ with our own Crosses, what we are carrying whole sick situation that comes from living a life in an abusive situation. To fight fire with fire only makes a bitter fire. But to pick up our situation and follow Christ, We must remember where Christ is leading us towards. HIS Cross led to not only death, but to resurrection! God created the idea of family. He wants what we want. A family that loves one another. A family that doesn’t hurt one another. A family that prays together and worships HIM together. Sometimes in order for God to heal a family, He allows it to break apart. It is in the broken pieces that God does HIS best work and repairing lives. While we are carrying this cross of ours behind Him, He is leading us to a better place. Following Him means that we have to let things die, like a bad marriage or a child having to be taken out of the home in order to be safe from harm. It may mean that the abused will have to call the authorities to have them come and remove the abuser from the home. It means that the abused need to seek protective shelter and get help and advice of what to do next. It’s all part of the way of the Cross. We have to carry that cross and let the bad relationship be nailed to it and die before God can resurrect a new way of life for those who obediently followed Him. This is what my life has been for the last 15 years. Today, I have NO ONE in my life abusing me. I have embraced my rights to have dignity and treated with respect. Today, I see signs of an abuser and am no longer attracted to their lies or fall for their deceptive ways. I know that there’s no such thing as a social drinker who drinks alcohol every weekend. I no longer have a need for someone to to ‘take care of me’, no matter the costs. I have discovered in this walk of carrying my own cross that I have two very powerful legs that hold me up just fine. It is the way God made me! I no longer feel needy nor disgusting. These were items on my cross that needed to be nailed and die there on that cross. The Resurrection was coming to know the Truth, which indeed set me free. Freedom from the bonds of abuse and violence. The storm has passed. I have been given a new life with new eyes to see and a new heart to love. It was not easy and it did not happen overnight. But, it did happen. I have no regrets and am very glad that I obeyed Jesus and carried my cross to Calvary in my Lord’s footsteps. He promises the same for everyone who picks up their own cross and follows HIM. He leads us not to more pain and destruction, but FROM that horrible place where He finds us.
June 30th, 2010 @ 5:59 am
Doreen: To love one’s neighbor does not mean to passively become a welcome mat for others to abuse. On the contrary, if I love my neighbor I must want what is best for my neighbor, and what is best is to admonish any evil my neighbor commits against me. If my neighbor decides not to return that love, then that is a cross I must bear.
June 29th, 2010 @ 10:42 am
The theological reflection for June 29th on “Accepting and Carrying Your Cross” is misguided and a potentially dangerous. To suggest that someone accept violence or abuse as the cross in their life is very harmful. Women and children who are in violent or abusive situations are very vulnerable, have a deflated sense of self and often blame themselves for the violence and abuse perpetrated against them. To suggest in any way that God wants them to accept this reality in their life is tantamount to supporting the violence and abuse they are experiencing. The Church and all people of faith must encourage and support victims of violence and abuse to reject and leave the abusive situations they are in. Violence and abuse are sins against the victim’s human dignity as a child of God. Violence and abuse are not God sanctioned crosses in anyone’s life.
June 29th, 2010 @ 9:43 am
June 29, 2010 “Taking Up Our Crosses”
Henri’s insight that we are not called to make crosses, not called to find crosses, but simply called to carry the crosses each one of us already has is so helpful. I know I have read that passage many times before and assumed that it meant I had to find something unpleasant, painful or difficult to do. That old human tendency to perform some “work” to earn God’s affection raising its head again….
Indeed, when we look deeply at our own lives, we know almost instantly what our particular crosses are. As we reach to lift our own crosses, the Spirit, the one who helps and comforts us, steps in next to us, and shoulders our crosses with us.
June 21st, 2010 @ 8:07 am
June 21 2010
I try never to miss these readings. Today’s reading gives me much hope that I will in the long run in the Lord be successful as long as I, like Paul, am running the race. I fail (and often that is inevitable) but in between there are times when by my life and the words that come out of my mouth I truly praise and glorify the Lord. The thing is I must not give in to discouragement and quit. Father Nouwen in his beautiful gentle way calls me to be faithful each day to my call to walk in the Lord. I joyfully move into this each day as I wake to glorify my Lord.
June 21st, 2010 @ 4:45 am
“Nobody completely lives up to his or her own ideals and visions. But by proclaiming our ideals and visions with great conviction and great humility, we may gradually grow into the truth we speak.”
How wise Nouwen’s words are so many times. He delves deep into the human psyche to reveal its flaws and limitations but in a loving and gentle way. How comforting to know that none of us is perfect, but we can still strive to be like Christ.
June 18th, 2010 @ 12:50 pm
I love these daily reflections. Part of today’s brings up my struggle with trying to grasp a small understanding of the personhood of the Holy Spirit:
“When we live in communion with God’s Spirit, we can only be witnesses, because wherever we go and whomever we meet, God’s Spirit will manifest itself through us.”
Notice the word “itself” which seems to take away personhood and imply the Holy Spirit is more of an “aura” of God or “force” a la Star Wars “May the Force be with you”. I’d love to hear from anyone about the “personhood”.
June 18th, 2010 @ 5:35 am
We are the Glory of God.
To know it intellectually is one thing - to experience the reality of it is quite another. And as long as we are still speaking in terms of ‘God’ and ‘us’ as separate identies we haven’t gone past the dualism into union.
June 17th, 2010 @ 8:57 am
“Witnesses of Love”, June 17th, Bread for the Journey, Henri J.M. Nouwen.
In the world today it seems that so many people and nations have to prove they have a “right to exist”…or they are ignored or pushed aside or ‘overwhelmed’ by force or military might. If we individually feel we have this ‘right’ then we must also allow others (of whatever color, creed or nationality) to have that same right! And we must also realize that God’s love is great enough to wrap around every person in the world… and it’s not the sole ‘right’ of only one group of people. The benefits of faith and the blessings of God at work in our lives are not given so we can enjoy and hoard them, but we must remember that we “are blessed to be a blessing.” Our ‘rights’ end where another’s ‘rights’ begin.
June 13th, 2010 @ 2:24 pm
Ralph, I’m sure you have not offended anyone with your comments, I for one always love to read all the reactions here. And the meditation of today (on the imperfection of love among our worldly relations) I can definitely identify with. At times we make other people into our God, our personal Jesus - or they do the same with us. Then they - or we - fall off their pedestals and it hurts. To love imperfect people imperfectly - it’s an art I am trying to master..
June 6th, 2010 @ 11:06 am
When friends of mine heard me complain often about the pains in my life, they ultimately would say: “Ralph, your problem is that you want a foam rubber cross and marshmallow nails.” In other words, I would need to suffer and carry my cross if I want to share in Jesus’ glory. I know they were right, though it “pains” me to admit it.
May 30th, 2010 @ 9:01 am
Have I said something offensive? No one has made any comments since I posted my own 15 days ago. If I have upset anyone, I apologize. Otherwise, I assume that the Holy Spirit has not motivated anybody to share a thought or feeling. Whatever … God bless you!
May 15th, 2010 @ 11:17 am
The Coin of Life has two sides: on one is birth and on the other is death. The thin edge that lies between the two is the number of years we are alotted on earth. What we do with them determines the quality of our lives no matter what their length. When we die, will we have lived a life primarily of love or will we have lived a life predominated by fear, anger and hate? My hope is that the Father will be merciful to me and that my life will have expressed mostly love.
May 7th, 2010 @ 12:26 pm
“The Temptation to Hoard”
I always knew my mother hoarded things, but it also occurred to me, after reading the reflection, that she also hoarded people, especially family members.
This mentality caused my mother to hold her numerous children so tight that we could not make friends.
As a result, many of the children look to the others to fulfill their every need, which is of course impossible. So then we are angry and frustrated with each other and jealous when any one makes a friend outside of the family.
My mother’s “scarcity mentality”, in the end, has just turned my family members against one another.
As I have grown away from this mind-set, through my relationship with Jesus Christ, I have indeed witnessed that there is plentiful abundance: much love and comfort is to be found in friendships if only we are confident it will be there.
May 3rd, 2010 @ 12:01 pm
Re: “Friends and Their Limitations”, Bread for the Journey, Henri J.M. Nouwen
What a beautiful reflection on friendship by Henri Nouwen, but the other side is…what is a friend? Are we a friend to those that the Lord puts in our path? As Nouwen says, friendship is a gift from God and we “cannot make friends”, but like any gift from the Lord, we can accept and treasure that gift or we can abuse or reject it.
We must first learn to “be a friend”, which is certainly to become more like Christ who said: “I no longer call you servants; I call you friends” (John 15:15).
No one, as Nouwen said can be everything to us and friends will disappoint us, because of the nature of humanity, but let us strive to be good friends and as he goes on to says: ” Let’s enjoy the friends whom God has sent on our way.”
May 1st, 2010 @ 2:14 pm
Several nights ago, I had a dream about “radical aloneness.” I googled the term and learned it was used by Henri Nouwen. Never heard of him and now receiving these daily meditations. They are absolutely what I need each day, as I am a disillusioned writer who struggles with finding connection/friends in this world. It’s been an incredible week of discovery for me!
May 1st, 2010 @ 8:16 am
Today, I spent the whole day with friends. It was a happy day for me. They were friends from my youth whose friendship I have renewed a year ago because of our involvement in church activities and the children whom I teach in the children’s choir.
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect because, five months later, my mother died. In my hour of grief, they were a comforting presence.
April 27th, 2010 @ 8:01 am
“Writing to Save the Day”
This reflection’s timing is amazing for me. I am a volunteer “crisis pregnancy” counselor and just yesterday I was counseling a young client who was struggling with an unplanned pregnancy. I was searching for the right words to encourage her and to give her hope, and with God’s help, to also save her baby’s life. She was adamant about choosing to have an abortion, and as a last ditch effort I asked her to do herself an emotional favor and take the time to journal her feelings before making any quick decisions. I will never know the results of that counseling session, unless she contacts me, but the last line of this reflection….”then writing can become lifesaving for us and sometimes for others too” is the hope that I am clinging to, that through writing her feelings, both of their lives can be saved.
April 21st, 2010 @ 8:41 am
I love Lancelot Andrewes words “Incline my heart and I shall desire.”
April 20th, 2010 @ 6:48 am
“Healing Contradictions”, Bread for the Journey, Henri J.M. Nouwen
This is just what I needed to read today. With everything in my life upside down, my husband with cancer, my home taken away, moving to a new town with no church family and no friends yet, I need to know that God cares for me.
April 18th, 2010 @ 11:55 am
Re: The Spirit Will Speak in Us
This has been hard to do at times. I have a tendency to think that salvation is totally up to me to accomplish, not only for myself but for others close to me. While it is good for me to be knowledgable and prepared for challenges, I will never know all the challenges I may face. Also, my salvation and everyone else’s salvation has been achieved. All we need do is accept our salvation and through faith and love-in-action maintain that salvation. In other words, do not throw it away but share it. How do we know what to do? Rely on the Holy Spirit through prayer, scripture study and community.
April 10th, 2010 @ 2:11 pm
unmitigated admiration quickly turns into unrestrained anger
Sadly, I have been hit with this issue, where the most important person in my life, her words, ” Put me on a Pedestal” I tried hard to convey in many ways, that I am not what she thinks…she refused, life deteriorated. On reflection; I believe this is what she wanted to believe anyway….it helped her temporarily, and, for me, not totally humble, or had my good deeds driven by the Holy Spirit contributed to the calamity.
The Lesson: examine if the deeds I do are driven by the love of God…above all
April 10th, 2010 @ 12:46 pm
Henri has always been one of,if not my favorite, Spiritual teachers. How timely is this relection and I wonder how he would write it today-God rest his soul…
I was raised and educated myself Catholic, now almost for 64 years(considering myself now ecumenical and Christian first)-however struggled and distanced myself from the church building since 2000 when I left a pastoral team due to what I believed were times of deception and lying by omission……
This is an extremely pain-filled time for all and only God knows how these turbulent times will end but I hope honesty and healing will prevail.
shalom
Judith
April 7th, 2010 @ 6:14 pm
I have been receiving the daily meditations for almost a year and half, and they are “water and bread for my journey into the wilderness of this life” To Ralph’s message being in pain for the children’s wandering away from the religion that sustained him, and his continuous prayer for it, i must say i share this pain, although in a different way. But I believe very much in the saying of St. Ambrose to Monica ( St. Augustine’s mother ) ” Be sure woman, that the son of these tears will never perish”
April 2nd, 2010 @ 1:27 am
Happy Easter to everyone.
I’ve had a quick browse, and feel so `held up’ and `held’ with the simple but profound messages I’ve just read which were not there when I last visited the site.
There is always a slighly different viewpoint, like the rays of the sun, which while often the same always differ somehow.
Every cloud while maybe of the cumulus variety, differs in some aspect.
It is the unique expressions from unquie and spiritual people found on this site that sometimes make the difference in my life, as certainly do the daily reflections. These are my christian achors.
Thank you….
March 30th, 2010 @ 7:07 am
I have been receiving the daily meditations for a few weeks and find them to be very helpful as I grieve for my son who passed unexpectedly almost 1 year ago - thank you for helping to restore my faith in God. Kathy
March 7th, 2010 @ 2:12 pm
I have found parenthood to be filled with both joy and sorrow. When my children (now adult) act in ways that I approve, it brings me joy. When they act in the opposite ways, I am filled with sorrow. It is in the area of religion which causes me the most pain. Though I know I must give them the right to reject the religion which my wife and I have taught them, it pains me to see them walk away from the faith that has sustained me though some dark times. They do not attend church and the only time I know that they pray is when they say grace with us before a meal at home. My only recourse is to pray for them, because I know that my lecturing them only drives them away from me.
March 7th, 2010 @ 11:01 am
“In my own life I well know how hard it is for me to trust that I am loved, and to trust that the intimacy I most crave is there for me. I most often live as if I have to earn love, do something noteworthy, and then perhaps I might get something in return.” Weekly Reflection - Third Week of Lent
Thank you for sending these weekly reflections. I particularly appreciate the one for this week, and the lead-off words above. I knew them in my head, but I needed to be reminded of them in my heart.
March 1st, 2010 @ 8:54 am
These reflections are always so well-timed for me. I’ve been thinking a lot about the self-emptying of God, in connection with the tension between God’s sovereignty and human freedom. God’s choice to become human does tell us more about that than we often remember.
March 1st, 2010 @ 6:07 am
In yesterday’s The Feast here in Manila, the preacher said, “God hid His greatness in the form of a child, much like He hides a tree in a little seed.”
February 28th, 2010 @ 9:40 am
Marsha:
I love that phrase “wasting time with God,” but I have found Mass to be more of communal thing than something I do by myself: I pray, sing, listen and respond as part of a group of like-minded people who are also praying, singing, listening and responding with me. I don’t mean to imply that there aren’t quiet moments of reflection where I am thinking something that no one else is probably thinking at that moment. I do find, however, that Mass is more for the masses than just for me. We celebrate, and I am part of that we. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I, too, can find God more easily in nature than in buildings and when I attend a Mass where the participation seems lacking, it can leave me with a dull, empty feeling, yet I know that I have done my duty.
February 27th, 2010 @ 11:46 am
A phrase that has stayed with me for several years is “wasting time with God”. What a lovely thing to do! It occurs every time I go to Mass, and on a deeper level when I make the time for a holy hour before the blessed sacrament. It can also be found when I am in communion with nature. It is always more meaningful and easier to do when by myself. But it does require discipline; something I need to cultivate especially during this Lenten season.
February 24th, 2010 @ 6:59 am
“Bring Our Secrets into the Light” (February 24), Henri J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
It is true! And that is the wonderful idea of confessions, to bring our secrets into the light so that they can be dealt with and healing can take place.
The difficulty is to find the trusted friend to begin with. Sometimes the burden of “secrets” overwhelms me and I feel the need to unburden myself. I have to ask whether I simply want to “dump my rubbish” on others rather than dealing with the issue. I have unburdened myself in my younger days on friends who simply could not accept it - you know, the polite loss of words or trite answers. I have learned now to share my secrets wisely, and I know who I can trust. But there still remains secret thoughts and memories that are only between God and me. Not that I think they’re too shameful to mention and there won’t be others who can identify with me, because I know God doesn’t mind visiting these places with me time and again, and He understands better than myself how I feel. Each time I go there, I pray that it’ll hurt less and more healing will take place. Now some of these secrets I share with my trusted friend or two, but some details are only known by my God, and that’s fine with me at the moment.
February 21st, 2010 @ 10:40 am
To see someone not as we want to have them be, but to see them and love them exactly the way they are and recognizing and glorifying the fact that they are EXACTLY how God made them. And the characteristics that we would love to see changed are the very characteristics that God planted in them to work His/Her kingdom. Tensions in our love of each other comes from when either we personally feel bad, guilty or embarrassed about our traits, OR from when we, correct or incorrectly, perceive that our lover does not cherish and honor those traits in us. I feel most typically that the usual place most couples are at is a kind of detente, where one spouse acknowledges that they tolerate those traits in light of the larger general love for the spouse, and the other spouse is angry and twisted because they don’t feel “as good”, beautiful and perfect in the other’s eyes. I remember painfully my wife explaining that our marriage is better because she has learned to ‘accept’ those things about me that she doesn’t like, and felt it was a breakthrough to accept “good enough”. It may have been, but I’m glad we’re approaching another higher breakthrough revelation needed to get to the more divine “I see you (as God sees you)”.
That first level of detente is akin to how we perceive the weather where we live. The first level of appreciation and love is that we appreciate our favorite seasons and sunny days, and tolerate the snow and rain and raking leaves, because it’s unavoidable. And what person doesn’t have their different seasons? The second level of appreciation and love is directly contemplating those “tolerate or grin and bear it” traits and recognize the divine inspiration and beauty and power in them. Embrace and “See” the entire person instead of picking and choosing. Let them feel special and loved BECAUSE of those differences, not in spite of them. I think that’s how God sees us.
The Nouwen contemplation below touches directly on this. Unless we allow our spouse the space to be themselves and allow their entire selves into our hearts, instead of just those favorite aspects of them, our love for them won’t be full, our wonder and awe at God’s creation won’t be complete, and we unavoidably harm our spouse by intimating that some aspect of them, often the aspect that is different from us, is less than beautiful and sacred.
February 21st, 2010 @ 10:16 am
Sadly, most people enter relationships in the hope, spoken or not, of having their deepest emotional needs met, needs which were placed within us by our Creator, and which can only be met by Him. How our relationships would soar, instead of too often failing, if we could enter a relationship in order to share the overflow from our Father, Who meets all our needs from His riches in glory.
February 20th, 2010 @ 12:47 pm
Today’s reflection proves the wisdom shared by a dear British friend of mine…”we must learn to hold things in this world loosely,” knowing that they come from God for our benefit and we are meant to share them with others. It is freeing to read such a beautiful reminder of our relationship to the Creator of all things!
February 20th, 2010 @ 11:10 am
February 20 - The Nonpossessive Life
“Life is a gift to be grateful for and not a property to cling to.”
I am reminded (and need frequent reminding) of
Philippians 2:5-7 ….
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
True detachment — His humble submission
February 19th, 2010 @ 1:05 pm
I do appreciate the thought, but this idea of “creating memories” really bugs me. Memories are best created by living a Godly, vital and memorable life. Memories created by setting out to create memories normally pale and disappoint, especially since they rarely live up to our fantasies as we prepare to create them. Give a dear one something worth treasuring, give yourself something to value, whether it is love, inspiration, challenge, fulfillment, or even a valiant failure. Don’t just aim to give a memory. We must believe that we can touch the lives of people, and even if they never remember us, they will be better because of our efforts to follow God’s leading.
February 18th, 2010 @ 2:24 pm
Re - Wayne Price Jan 22 post (better late than never)..
THANK YOU! I will try now.
Today’s meditation about memories and mealtime really gives me pause to reflect …..
it really can be a two edged sword because sometimes things from childhood could be so bad that one would prefer not having the good table memories if they could have avoided the difficult ones….
February 13th, 2010 @ 9:48 am
Evelyn:
Be assured that God loves you. Be assured that I love you. Be assured that every reader of this blog who attempts to follow Christ loves you. Though you cannot forget, for your own sake I hope that you will try to forgive. Do not let the baggage of the past weigh upon your heart today.
February 12th, 2010 @ 11:38 am
Those words ARE spoken. They were spoken to me 50 years ago by my husband. I had never heard the words “I love you” from my parents so I made a concentrated effort to say them once a day to my then new husband. After several weeks I received the reply “I knew that already you don’t have to say it again”. It was devastating. The marriage lasted 24 years - very unhappy years.
February 7th, 2010 @ 6:36 am
Re: Dressed in Gentleness
In today’s world, politicians and pundits scream at each other on TV. Tea Party activists seem to represent anger but no constructive ideas. The entertainment world seems to be about who does not get along with whom moreso than what great artistic achievements have been accomplished. Yes, gentleness is a rarity today, even amongst the gentler female sex. Let us pray that we all will become a little more gentle with each other and place each other’s needs above our own.
January 31st, 2010 @ 5:15 am
I have experienced a kind of PTSD and understand, in a small way, these invasions Cecily speaks of. Looking back on it I can only say - do not deny them or lock them out; rather try to see them for what they are - painful fabrications of the traumatised mind, and time will ensure they lessen their grip and forgiveness will creep in.
January 30th, 2010 @ 10:57 pm
Joy does not forgive intentional personal injury. Cecily, you must try to take up your cross day by day with the help of loving supporters and yourself pray to our sovereign God to lift you from the damage caused.
It is impossible to feel Joy everyday…but work with your supporters, take heed of their gentle encouragements and work towards becoming whole. Never wish vengeance, for we must surrender our right to revenge to follow the Jesus of the Gospels. We find Joy along the way and are filled with the Spirit of God who will put salve on your wounds by sending you the support of people themselves filled with the Holy Spirit.
God Bless and keep you
January 30th, 2010 @ 12:08 am
How does one forgive intentional personal injury that fills the rest of life with dreaded invasions of PTSD?
January 22nd, 2010 @ 12:38 pm
I just posted on my website (www.waynerice.com) an interview that I conducted with Henri some years ago on the subject of prayer, silence, busyness, spiritual direction, etc. I thought that perhaps others who have been inspired and encouraged by Henri might enjoy listening to it.
January 20th, 2010 @ 2:56 pm
“Yearning for Perfect Love”, (January 20), Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen
Today’s reflection on “love” becoming violent - made me think about how often it is not overt violence, but that passive-agressive “I’ll show him/her” that does so much damage.
January 20th, 2010 @ 12:49 pm
Yearning for Perfect Love…
Sorry! The need for love doesn’t embrace violence or rape..That is a Power exerted over one who is helpless.Nothing to do with wanting,needing,desiring,satisfying etc..
Violence against anyone,male or female is only a POWER issue…..
January 18th, 2010 @ 5:06 pm
Finding Solitude - Jan. 16, 2010
“Loneliness is painful; solitude is peaceful.”
…”Loneliness” is when we forget that God our parent is ALWAYS with us and we think we are “alone”
…”Solitude” is when we are at peace even when going through trials and tribulation because we or someone else reminds us that “God never leaves us” and walks with us through everything.
I’ve noticed that many cancer patients experience a great peace while going through chemo etc. I believe it is because they are CALLING on God and it is ONLY WHEN we CALL that God will “intervene” in our lives and that intervention is peaceful…….
God Be with all of you and give you great peace, even those going through unimaginable situations at present.
– Rose
January 14th, 2010 @ 8:56 am
Dear Kathleen,
Thank you very much for your good suggestion. We are in the midst of exploring social media and hope to have a strong presence there soon.
Many thanks and blessings,
Maureen
Henri Nouwen Society
January 12th, 2010 @ 9:08 pm
“The Spiritual Work of Gratitude”, Bread for the Journey (January 12), Henri J.M. Nouwen.
Being grateful for all, while I understand what Henri is getting at, makes me think about the people in Haiti at this moment who are experiencing the devastation of the earthquake. But may they experience the loving hand of God through our prayers and reaching out to them in whatever way we can.
January 9th, 2010 @ 3:28 pm
Stepping over our wounds - Jan 9 2010
This topic sung to me. I am unemployed at the moment and have been attempting to release the past and embrace the future. It has been a long tunnel ride.
I keep attempting to step over the past’s emotions however, it seems the mud puddle keeps moving forward with my steps.
January 6th, 2010 @ 10:52 am
You might consider a facebook page to link this newsletter. I find it wonderfully inspiring and often share parts of it with friends via email/facebook etc.
December 30th, 2009 @ 10:25 am
How timely with the terrorism threats in the headlines recently. We must all be vigilant safeguarding the safety of our family, neighbours and even strangers, but that does not mean holding on to that anger we might feel towards having our safety violated. That is a very tough path to walk, but we must let go of those hurts, real or imagined. That energy used to hold that hurt could do so much good. That space in our heart storing that hurt could be opened up to welcome those in need. The feeling of opening up and letting go as we enter into the New Year will be one that we can relish — recharging us and inspiring us to walk the path towards a better understanding. I hope we all forgive those past hurts and look forward to that reconciliation. Happy New Year to all readers.
December 25th, 2009 @ 11:02 am
Reconciliation, such a simple word, yet so complicated. Yet it brings to mind that simplicity is the key. We do not have to figure out everything or know what the end will be. We or more specifically I, must be willing to do my part and then leave the results to God.
My husband and I have tried to keep everything very simple this holiday season, in order not to become unrecognizable to oneself. Not an easy task in our society. I wish everyone a simple day with the knowledge that if we believe, we are reconciled through Christ and that is the perfect and simple gift. Merry Christmas to all!!
December 24th, 2009 @ 10:49 am
“Holding on to the Christ” (December 24), Henri J.M Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
Doesn’t Romans 8:38-39 just about say it all? As we face the end of one year, disppointed in some ways with how our lives went, and look forward to the upcoming year, wondering how we will cope and hoping to prosper spiritually as well as physically, this verse is a good one on which to contemplate. Merry Christmas everyone!
December 15th, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
“December 15, 2009 - The Good News of Hell”, Henri J.M.Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
I usually don’t like hell messages very often. I’ve heard too many of them used regarding anyone who doesn’t think or believe exactly like the speaker. I never thought I would hear encouraging thoughts on hell though! I will have to keep this email.
December 14th, 2009 @ 8:24 am
“Heaven and Hell”, Bread for the Journey (December 14) by Henri J.M. Nouwen.
Henri’s reminder of how John’s vision included Hell along with Heaven, is a somber one and one we need. It is certainly not popular for even Christian leaders to speak of the reality of hell, let alone the rest of the church.
Without it, we loose a true sense of “salvation” for it is that place and the wrath involved that we are saved from.
Christmas is all about this. Think of it, knowing the violence of the world as he knew it, how could the Father send his own dear Son into it as a baby? Would we have done that? Knowing his son would die a violent death the Father only did this because He had a clear vision of the reality of Hell and that His Son’s death and resurrection would be the avenue for salvation for those who chose it.
Wow. We want to see spiritual realities, but do we really want to see this?
This is what He showed to John. This is what He shows to us, to the world, to the Church. Praise Him. He saved us from the second death.
December 8th, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
“The Renewal of the Whole Creation”, from Henri Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey
Today’s reading is refreshing and can be used to converse with those who put their faith in the ‘universe’ - those people who believe in a God but also believe that the ‘universe’ provides just as God does. From the Christian perspective God created the universe and we are to enjoy HIS creation, however we have a personal relationship with HIM/Jesus and not the universe, for the universe does not exist for the purpose of providing what GOD wants to give us and receive from us - which is intimacy through a loving relationship with HIM.
December 2nd, 2009 @ 10:48 pm
“…as we grow more deeply into the spiritual life - the life in communion with our risen Lord - we gradually get in touch with our desire to move through the gate of death…”
Henri Nouwen was, when he wrote this, already in deep communion with the risen Lord, a communion of spirit and also of spiritual embodiment.
November 29th, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
A year before writing Bread for the Journey, Nouwen expressed similar thoughts about death. On one hand death is final. On the other hand, “…nothing that belongs to God will ever go to waste…” Then he adds something he does not say exactly the same way now. He adds, “not even our mortal bodies [will not go to waste].” Our Greatest Gift p. 109
In Our Greatest Gift, Nouwen says, “…I want to make Paul’s words my own” but then he expresses a hesitancy: “my hesitation in writing about this is connected with my conviction that the resurrection of Jesus is a hidden event.”
I think that whenever Nouwen talks about resurrection, that of Jesus or of ours, he is talking about something hidden. So his problem, in other words is how to talk about something real and bodily but also hidden.
In Bread, what is new is his attempt to get at resolving that problem with Paul’s metaphor of the seed. The mortal body is a seed that must die for the spiritual body to rise. That takes us into the future and the unknown. But it is also here and now in that it is what happens in the baptismal mystery and the spiritual body becomes present in a hidden way, and it is our mission to express that mystery with our visible, mortal bodies.
November 28th, 2009 @ 10:46 am
It was on this day in 1995 — 14 years ago — that Nouwen sat down at his desk to continue writing in his daybook and he did not know where to go. It was the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and Nouwen was writing in a little apartment attached to the home of his friend’s Jonas and Margaret Watertown. He wrote about that day in Sabbatical Joureny: “Last night I got stuck in my writing…. not knowing how to articulate that, on one hand, our bodies will return to “dust” while, on the other hand, nothing we have lived in the body will go to waste.” What helped him get un-stuck was reading 1 Cor 15:35:38 — the text we see in todays thought. Nouwen wrote: This answer really woke me up! It was as if I heard if for the very first time. Our life is a seed that has to die to be dressed with immortality! Things suddenly came together and started to make sense, spiritual sense.”
Much of what we read in Bread for the Journey drawn from teachings he has offered in other books. It seems that his reflections on the relationship between the body that goes to dust and the body that gets dressed with immortality are particularly fresh teachings for Nouwen.
I see Nouwen as having been dressed in immortality even when he was alive. His flesh and blood body was limited in time and space. He could only visit one friend at a time. But his immortal body was free from the constraints of time and space — it is that body that visited my home, and it is after sensing that presence that I witnessed the mystery first hand: there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. First comes the natural, then the spiritual. And here is the hidden mystery Paul speaks about: “we will not all die (before the second coming), but we will all be changed.”
Nouwen knew that the second coming and the resurrection are here and now for those with eyes to see, and he lived his life as he did in the hope of helping many people to see.
November 25th, 2009 @ 9:24 pm
To All Readers:
Have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!
November 24th, 2009 @ 10:19 pm
What does Nowen mean when he says “…nothing we are living now in our body will go to waste.”
What about our sins? I sometimes think of my bad deeds as “a waste.” My slothful times as “a waste.” My missed moments as “a waste.” But Nowen seems to question that.
One angle is to say in the present, here and now, that all of my life experiences, past, and future, and present, even those less than exemplary, can and will somehow be redeemed, and made part of God’s story of blessing.
November 12th, 2009 @ 9:05 am
Belonging to the communion of saints means being connected with all people transformed by the Spirit of Jesus. This connection is deep and intimate. Those who have lived as brothers and sisters of Jesus continue to live within us, even though they have died, just as Jesus continues to live within us, even though he has died…. They are the source of our constant transformation. Yes, we carry them in our bodies and thus keep them alive… - Henri J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, November 12th.
For me, I believe, and have evidence that Henri Nouwen was a source, an author, an authority behind an intimate transformative experience. It was very sudden, but lasting in its impact. I think I do carry Henri in my body now, but not as some weird imposition; rather, Henri, as a saint, has helped me to carry my own body in deeper contact with our shared source in God. Inasmuch as I walk in the resurrection of Jesus and the saints, I am remembering saint Henri well. Of course there are times when I feel depressed, I have that tendency, and the written words of Henri Nouwen helps me to move through those times knowing that it is part of being human.
November 11th, 2009 @ 6:57 am
Ryan: Why not share your hope with your sister? Not in a sanctimonious way, but in a faith-filled prayer way.
November 9th, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
“…saintliness is not just for those who lived long and hardworking lives. These children, and many who died young, are as much witnesses to Jesus as those who accomplished heroic deeds.” - Henri J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey (November 9)
My sister in law was called upon by a neighbor when a child died in his sleep. She tried CPR, but the child was already dead. It horrified her, and she was easily brought to tears for weeks. Maybe it would help her to think of that child now as a saint, guiding her on the way. Maybe she already does.
November 6th, 2009 @ 8:25 am
Nov 6 2009 “A Ministry of Healing and Reconciliation”, Henri J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
The daily meditation asks how one can SEE Christ’s love for the poor and the weak. On a recent trip to New York I made the obligatory visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It is a beautiful church juxtaposed ironically or purposely up against 30 Rockefeller Place. Atlas stands holding up the world yet if he laid his burden down he could take 3 giant steps and walk down the center aisle of St. Pat’s. We too can put down our worldly burdens and come in to join in Christ’s community. Interestingly, the church had a large homeless community resting from the worldly burdens in the sanctuary of the church. How right it seemed that they keep company with our Lord. They are WITH Him and He WITH them.
November 4th, 2009 @ 10:49 am
Thanks to these meditations, I have come to understand that spiritual poverty doesn’t just mean an absence of money or material resources. It includes an absence of anything we deem critical in our lives.
For me, my poverty lies in uncertainty. I am comfortable being - if not in control of a situation, at least informed specifically about it, understanding the boundaries and - the rules. Yes, I’m comfortable playing by the rules. So what are the “rules” when it comes to my faith?
Pre-Vatican Church and the Old Testament rules were pretty clear. The 10 commandments and the laws of the Church were spelled out. DON’T eat meat on Fridays, DO go to church on Sundays, Confession during Easter time - These equalled being a good Catholic. Then Vatican II happened and placed the emphasis, not on rules, but on loving - God, neighbor, self. What does that look like? How do I know if I’m doing it right, or doing it at all? Help! I’m poverty stricken. There, in the midst of my confusion is God, the only One I can trust to lead, to companion, and to inspire me.
Poverty is personal, unique to each of us - but similar in that it always denotes a lack, and God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit are always in there with us.
November 2nd, 2009 @ 10:32 pm
I have always felt emptiness and darkness in the way our people, our parishes and our Church talk about “the poor”.
I think it’s the detached dualism it represents. Also, the opportunity to be judgmental at many different levels because of that approach.
The poorest people I have ever experienced are us affluent sitting in suburban parishes being mean, disrespectful, and two faced to each other.
Our own poverty can be present in every moment of our own relationships.
I believe the statements below, from Henri Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey, to be full grace:
“They can be in our own families, churches or workplaces. Even closer, the poor can be ourselves, who feel unloved, rejected, ignored, or abused.
It is precisely when we see and experience poverty - whether far away, close by, or in our own hearts - that we need to become the Church; that is hold hands as brothers and sisters, confess our own brokenness and need, forgive one another, heal one another’s wounds, and gather around the table of Jesus for the breaking of the bread. Thus, as the poor we recognise Jesus, who became poor for us.”
October 31st, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
Today’ message speaks to me particularly since I have just returned from working at a community breakfast at our chuurch. This event held every time there are 5 Saturdays in the month, gives us an opportunity to open our doors to all for this free breakfast, whether you seek norishment of the body or of the spirit you definitely find it. As we sit those unknown to each other at the same table serving a home cooked meal, family style on fine china it VERY heartening to see mutual concern and love and peace being shared with each other. The poor help to make us faithful to our mission, and that may be those in need of nourishment of the body or fellowship of the spirit. There is hope yet and we can all be part of making it happen. God bless!
October 31st, 2009 @ 8:52 am
A personal opinion: The Bible teaches us that “Christ was human in all things save sin.” I do not think this means that it was impossible for Jesus to sin or even that it was easy for him NOT to sin. If he was truly human, he had the choice of doing the Father’s will or not. Out of love for and obedience to the Father, Christ chose not to sin and to SUFFER and DIE for our sins and live the kind of life each of us should live in order to please the Father. He also said that whenever we expressed love for one another, especially those least loved (the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, etc.), then we have expressed that love to him. The formula for eternal life is simple: love and be loved. The execution of it is difficult because we easily put ourselves in the center of our concerns rather than God and fellow man. We sin. Yet, because Jesus died for our sins, we can be forgiven, and we have the Spirit to strengthen our resolve to start anew. We MUST love the sinner while we hate the sin and allow the Father to judge who is worthy of eternal life.
October 30th, 2009 @ 11:46 am
In todays reflection …
“… we must recognize that it is the weakest among us - the elderly, the small children, the handicapped, the mentally ill, the hungry and sick - who form the (Church) real center.”
Why are the unborn excluded from this list?
We must not let the Catholic mindset become such that these unseen victims of the worlds greatest holocaust be forgotten. They are part of the Church and we will one day face every one of the multi-million who the Catholic Church, Catholic politicians and Catholic voters have done so little to protect.
October 29th, 2009 @ 7:37 am
I know a few disappointments I have with some churches, and I need help to forgive them and try to forget what they have done, maybe my pain is also Jesus’ pain and can I go on in His light, knowing that I also lack in loving others, I know we need each other although sometimes it’s frustrating, and now I don’t have the courage to trust any more psalm 118 in my fear I said all men are liars but it was my baptism word in the bible: Proverbs 29:25; Fear for men makes a trap but who trusts in the Lord is secured.
October 28th, 2009 @ 3:22 pm
When we say, “I love Jesus, but I hate the Church,” we end up losing not only the Church but Jesus too.
I believe that if someone has been so hurt as to truly hate the Church, that person does not lose Jesus, just doesn’t see Him. Surely God’s mercy is greater than membership in the Church.
What Church are we talking about when we say that the Church has hurt someone; the people of God or the Leadership? How difficult is it to know that the people of God are the Church as well as the Leadership who are to be Servants, all are to be Servants but particularly the leadership. When Servants do not serve but hurt, yes, they should ask for forgiveness. Yes, the challenge is to forgive, even when forgiveness is not requested for it is the beginning of healing. Only the Holy Spirit can enable us to forgive.
October 27th, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
Re 695/October 14 Brent…thank you.
You provide necessary distinctions.
We can never be Christ but can aim to be Christ-like and be indwelt with Christ’s spirit.
It is said we need to attempt to imitate Christ. Being human this is a huge call for we are not God, as Jesus Christ is.
Without our human `hands’ and our service to God and His Divine will then God’s spirit cannot prevail for humankind’s good on earth…for this life in Christ’s name is to what we Christians are called.
While creation is ongoing, God however requires our cooperation for good to prevail and be done among men, His creatures.
So to His Spirit we are called, to blow His goodness, to bring His love, to bring what He finds good where-ever we humanly can.
Our first responsibility is to do good within our family and then outside in our communities then the Spirit of God goes beyond taken by the spirit of goodwill. The action can be likened to concentric rings which are created when a pebble is thrown into a pool - the rings radiate out from the centre and grow outwards to the pool’s boundaries.
Sadly being human we often fail to undertake God’s work, to do His will, but succoumb to our human nature,and do our will, not God’s. Jesus, being God and Man did not succoumb, but gave willingly His (human) life for humanity/us…
Regards today’s message `Forgiving the Church’ then our Churches would best serve God’s purpose and pattern themselves on God rather than on earthly establishments/institutions.
As we need to reevaluate our lives from time to time, particularly as we grow in years and realise our shortcomings then make amends and refocus our energies towards the direction Christ in God directs. So too does the Church need to reevaluate it’s position, work towards reconciliation rather than a blanket call for forgiveness which is best served, I believe, in a relational transaction, such as reevaluation, reconciliation and forgiveness.
October 27th, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
I guess I need this post. I find it extremely hard to love the Church (in view of all its sins, regulations etc.). But how can I love Christ and at the same time dismiss His Body? How to find true community, now that’s another story.
October 22nd, 2009 @ 5:04 am
“The Garden of the Saints”, Bread for the Journey, Henri J.M. Nouwen
Today’s daily meditation spoke to me this morning as I look at the very diverse community surrounding all of us and I thought of a garden. A TRULY beautiful garden is not made up of only daisies or only roses but is TRULY beautiful when it contains many different flowers that are different colors, different scents, different shapes and sizes. We all have gifts to share in that garden and by sharing our gifts the garden becomes more beautiful. God Bless!
October 14th, 2009 @ 7:58 am
“Really Present”, October 14th, Bread for the Journey - Henri J.M. Nouwen
Henri wrote on the last line of today’s devotion…”We who receive the Body of Christ become the living Christ.”
Well, not exactly. We are indwelt with the living Christ and we are called his body, but we are not Him! Just as we have to be careful in saying The Son is the Father, or the Spirit is the Son. The unity is there but an eternal distinction is made.
So we who are the body of Christ are also called his bride, or the temple of God. The emphasis is on indwelling, not on be-coming.
I understand the spirit of what Henri said, but Christ himself remains distinct as Lord over the church, his body. Presence is not essence.
October 10th, 2009 @ 9:04 am
this is the first time I am commenting on the thoughts of Henri Nouwen I am truly blessed and thank the administrators for this email service
September 28th, 2009 @ 10:03 am
Baptism, the Way to Community is a wonderful reflection. It is especially touching and timely for me. This weekend, I will have the opportunity to baptise my grandchildren. Such a blessing to be in this series about Baptism as formation for me to be in the right state of mind for the weekend.
Blessings and Prayers
Deacon Tom
September 22nd, 2009 @ 5:32 am
Re “The Created Order as Sacrament”
Such a beautiful vision of reality. Thank you Henri Nouwen. God bless you eternally.
September 20th, 2009 @ 9:35 pm
Jesus, the Bread that came down from Heaven.
Feed us.
September 10th, 2009 @ 6:32 am
We must never confuse Christianity with the status quo, our national or reginal traditions, or the political party to which we belong. We are in the world as a fraternal, but critical force for good. Personal conversion and the building of the Kingdom is our mission.
September 8th, 2009 @ 6:08 am
“Choosing the Blessings”, Bread for the Journey, by Henri Nouwen
Choosing to be blessed or to be cursed is a real choice that we have, isn’t it? As I think about this, I see that in my own life the choice to be cursed is one I make all too often. God gave us free will. I choose all of the time, knowingly or otherwise. I have been made painfully aware of this recently as I attempt to explain why a horrible auto accident happened and resulted in the deaths of 4 young people. The accident occurred in front of my daughter’s work place and she was a first responder and offered comfort to one of the teens who died. How could a good God let this happen? Because a driver chose to be impatient and foolishly tried to pass cars. This gets me back to the beginning. We can choose, to be patient in this case, or more to my point, to be blessed rather than cursed in our lifes. Heavenly Father, please help me to submit to your will and make the right choices.
September 5th, 2009 @ 6:06 pm
A very wise principal that I once worked with said, “Never put anything in a letter that you would not put up on your bulletin board!” This is a reference to the fact that, at times, we are so consumed and overwhelmed by the emotions we are feeling at the time of the initial experience that we are apt to want to lash out. This is not wise because we are opening up a mine field of potential misunderstanding and pain for all those who have access to the letter. Face-to-face- contact is always the prudent recourse. Although it is no guarantee of reconciliation, and it may not always be possible, the written word is often taken out of context. A phone call may be a reasonable alternative, but if the person refuses to speak to you, the only recourse left is to pray for the person. All things will happen in God’s time, for God’s wisdom and timing are perfect. Remember the old saying, “God may not always come on time, but he is never late!”
September 5th, 2009 @ 7:54 am
Re “Choosing Words Wisely”
Not only must I avoid using harsh words purposely, but I must be careful about all words spoken to others (as well at to myself). Many times I have said things thoughtlessly, only to learn much later that I hurt someone else and had to beg for forgiveness long after the damage was done.
September 3rd, 2009 @ 4:08 pm
“Waiting With Our Response”, Bread for the Journey, by Henri Nouwen
The H N. med. for today, 9-3-09, suggests WAITING to respond to evil. That suggestion appears to contradict Jesus’ response to merchants in the temple on two occasions, at the beginning, and at the end of his ministry. If the Spirit of Jesus abides in us, we may respond to evil without the period of waiting HN suggested.
Respectfully, Wayne McDaniel
August 26th, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
August 25th: Truly “The greatest of these is love.” (I Cor. 13) The suffering of separation, the longing for a loved one, and all else does not hold a candle to the honor of loving in His way. Again, I am so thankful for this group and the continued reminders of Fr. Henri Nouwen
August 25th, 2009 @ 4:48 am
Re Love and the Pain of Leaving:
To love is to risk receiving pain is so true. It is said that those laying on their death beds regret more the things they did not do in life than the things they did do. Not loving–for fear of rejection or loss–is something I have come to regret in my life and have prayed that God would give me the strength, wisdom and courage to love unconditionally at all times. I am a work in progress.
August 18th, 2009 @ 6:24 am
These reflections on poverty like others from Henri Nouwen are so illuminating for me. Although I´ve been Catholic from birth, I had always had difficulty accepting poverty. Now I can understand much better the subject and I feel much more sure about it. I think it´s similar to the concept of carryng our daily cross, don’t you think? Thank God Internet can bring us the golden jewels of Nouwen´s reflections.
August 17th, 2009 @ 4:58 pm
I had to duck when the arrow came towards me on this one! How easy it is for me to do the very things brought up in this and I’m quite good at it by now - feeling sorry for myself because I’m not being used for some great purpose or wasting my day moping around cause I feel I’m not needed or loved, ad nauseum. Gosh - I am SO glad God does not “do” His life like I do mine - our world would be in even more of a mess. Praises to Him that He loves us unconditionally no matter if what we give doesn’t seem like enough - the poor woman of scripture only gave a mite for an offering and that was ALL she had so it was a sacrifice!
These insiteful passages and subsequent comments from others are soul feeds for me..thank you
August 11th, 2009 @ 4:31 am
Dear Jack:
While I do not disagree with you completely, remember that WE are the church, not just the pope, the cardinals, the bishops, the pastors and the well-heeled who give of their treasure but little of their time and talent. If the church is too secular, then we must work harder at making it holier through our personal spirituality but also through our interaction with other members of the church.
August 10th, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
“Burning With Love”, Bread for the Journey, Henri J.M. Nouwen
) when it comes to telling others about Jesus. How stupid is that when we speak of His unconditional love, grace and mercy when we ourselves come across angry and defensive when people don’t “get it”. Us humans are not the ones to convert - that’s God’s job - all we have to do is share the Good News and leave the results to Him. Maybe our witness will plant a seed and someone else’s witness will be the harvest but we should never discourage if we don’t see results according to how we think we should.
LOVED this comment and unfortunately I see too many Christians forgetting this (me included
I love this site..it’s new to me and so encouraging
August 10th, 2009 @ 2:19 pm
August 10 ….. Echoes of Brother Lawrence ….
August 4th, 2009 @ 6:36 am
Two kinds of loneliness (7/31) We all know the 1st kind of loneliness - being away from God. We were made for relationship and communication with God and we may work at hiding that with success, activities, money, fame, etc. But at the heart of life, we were made by God for a relationship with Him.
The second lonliness comes from being in a close relationship with God and realizing that that relationship is going to separate us from the world. It’s a result of not being able to serve two masters. If we are in a close relationship with God we will be “lonely” and isolated from the world that doesn’t understand that.
I’d like to share Nouwen’s thought about the church -
“Like every human organization the Church is constantly in danger of corruption. As soon as power and wealth come to the Church, manipulation, exploitation, misuse of influence, and outright corruption are not far away.
How do we prevent corruption in the Church? The answer is clear: by focusing on the poor. The poor make the Church faithful to its vocation. When the Church is no longer a church for the poor, it loses its spiritual identity. It gets caught up in disagreements, jealousy, power games, and pettiness. Paul says, ‘God has composed the body so that greater dignity is given to the parts which were without it, and so that there may not be disagreements inside the body but each part may be equally concerned for all the others.’ (1 Corinthians 12:24-25). This is the true vision. The poor are given to the Church so that the Church as the body of Christ can be and remain a place of mutual concern, love, and peace.” (BREAD FOR THE JOURNEY - October 31) -
The church, unfortunately, has become a secular, upward mobility organization - high-profile, rich, opulant organization. Jesus- who left a high profile job ruling the world at the right hand of God to minister to people disabled by sin - is the model. If you get to know Jesus and the heart of God, you will be lonely due to isolation from the world that values success, not neediness. And, unfortunately, you will often be lonely because you will be isolated from the church. But close to God.
August 1st, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
Dear Julie Rayner:
You asked about the two kinds of loneliness of which Henri Nouwen speaks on July 30. My understanding is that we long for God and thus experience the first loneliness. Once we realize that God is the treasure our heart seeks, we want to be united with him completely, yet cannot while living in this world. That brings about the second loneliness. Another aspect of this second loneliness is the realization that God’s love, truth, beauty, goodness and brilliance is so overpowering that we feel unworthy of it and afraid to look at him and unite with him; but Nouwen encourages us to have faith and embrace with humility and gratitude the love of God.
My reading of Jesus’ crying out to the Father, is that he was both God and man, and thus felt the pain, suffering and loneliness that all humans feel. Nonetheless, Jesus fulfilled his duty to the Father and willingly died for us.
August 1st, 2009 @ 7:18 am
The loneliness is like being stuck on the bridge. No longer belonging to the ‘world’ and not yet fully conscious of God or heaven. A knowing that one does not belong to one side - an unknowing of what the reality the other side is like. Two lonelinesses meeting within.
July 31st, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
“I am guessing that whenever we endure great suffering we have an experience similar to Jesus”
With that in mind, please in your generosity of charity keep a family in prayer because grace is the only way they will be able to get through.
There was a tragic car accident last weekend and couple in our parish/town had all three of their daughters, niece and sister die in it. The only survivor of both cars is the 5 year old nephew, who will recover from a severe head trauma but without his mom, sister and cousins. Some of you locally would have heard it all over the news but I’m posting this for those who will lift them up in prayer.
The family definately needs the prayer but it is also very difficult on all the young people who were friends, classmates and teammates of this beautiful family. The sisters were ages 8 - 7 and 5 and the cousin was 2 …… PRAY PRAY PRAY — Thank you!
July 31st, 2009 @ 5:05 pm
I have generally understood the sense of Christ’s forsakenness on the cross to be the point of His sin-bearing for us. This would seem reasonable in the light of the Old Testament reference in Psalm 22:
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.
Then, as I read further in the Psalm, perhaps there is additional context for me to consider in light of
the suffering of Christ. Take His yoke and LEARN of Him, and I shall find rest for my soul.
July 31st, 2009 @ 12:23 pm
Dear Sister Gloriamarie,
Thank you for your comments on today’s meditation. The source of the daily meditations is Henri Nouwen’s “Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith”, published by Harper Collins. The source is listed just below the meditation with a link to a description of the book on our website.
July 31st, 2009 @ 11:31 am
What I most desperately wish is that the name of the book would be given where these quotations about loneilness came from.
How can we even possibly understand such concepts when they are out of context? What did the man mean?
I know loneliness well. I know the silence of God well. I also know that the silence of God is charged with far more than I am able to describe. But one only gets there by embracing one’s own loneliness.
Jesus was cut off from God while hanging on the cross. The trauma he experienced there was the reason, I am guessing. I am guessing that whenever we endure great suffering we have an experience similar to Jesus’.
July 31st, 2009 @ 5:09 am
Dear Friends,
Can someone share their thoughts with me about the second loneliness that Henri Nouwen speaks of in the recent devotionals from Bread for the Journey(July 30th “Two Kinds of Loneliness and July 31st “Jesus’ Loneliness”). Thank you!!! I can’t seem to grasp the concept of the second loneliness. Julie
July 26th, 2009 @ 7:05 pm
Words that foster healing ………. (7/13)
Ernie - after this past week … “AMEN” to that!!!!
Is everyone on vacation, I miss reading the sharings.
I haven’t started any new books because I can’t make a decision — SUGGESTIONS GREATFULLY ACCEPTED. I probably have 12 here and could go to the library
Thank you.
- Rose
July 25th, 2009 @ 7:20 am
Re: Digging Into Our Spiritual Resources
These words are profound for me as I have had a problem with one individual as I struggle to forgive him. I know that God wants me to be forgiving always. The times when this is hardest to do seem to result in the most fulfillment, that is when I finally get there. God wants me to forgive and I am obedient.
July 23rd, 2009 @ 5:55 am
Re: Bridging the Gap
Feelings in and of themselves are neither right nor wrong. Actions we take on those feelings can be right or wrong. Yes, as humans our moods can swing back and forth, sometimes rather quickly. Our perceptions of what is happening to us often triggers an emotion, either negative or positive. I believe that God will judge us, however, on what we do with those feelings. If we are conscious of a negative feeling we can choose to act positively, though this is certainly not always and easy thing.
July 13th, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
“Being Chosen”, Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, July 13th.
Words that foster healing ……….
July 9th, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
“Tending Our Own Wounds First” - Henri Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey , July 9th.
Reading today’s comment really touched me. I ended a very destructive relationship with a woman I loved very much last August and have been in a bit of a depression. I loved “D” very much but her own mental illness and drug addiction (and refusal to get help) made life with her impossible.
I know God is always there. Sometimes His presence and purpose may seem cloudy to me…but even through the depression and loneliness, in fact THROUGH the depression and loneliness, I have come to know God and his Son better.
July 6th, 2009 @ 11:53 am
RE: Item #662 July 4, 2009 Author: David
“The idea that, in the story of the prodigal son, the father watches the older brother become angry and bitter is not supported in the gospels. We do read that the older brother was angry and resentful when the father threw a party for his younger brother upon his return. However, it’s a reach for the writer, Henri Nouwen or other, to say the father was contending with an angry older son all along. We don’t know this, so let’s not read more into something just because we want to support a personal idea. Unfortunately, I see writers and preachers make this mistake quite frequently.”
David, I respectfully disagree with some of the above. Since the gospel is a “parable” story — it can be interpreted individually. Somethings don’t necessarily have to be spelled out in the words on paper — because the very fact that the older son said what he did shows many of the feelings of resentment and anger. Think about people in your own life and nobody told you they were angry and resentful but their actions speak louder than words. I believe that the older son FINALLY verbalized his feelings at “the last straw” of seeing a party but it is human nature that anyone in similar situations would have that. Yes, we fight against it and try to pray those negative tapes away but it is there in most families that I know. David, I know that many people take the Bible “Word of God” literally and find it difficult when it isn’t just taken at face value. Thank you for openly and honestly expressing your feelings and hope you don’t mind me expressing mine. (Bible studies often have people giving their own take on certain passages. In MY OWN OPINION — I feel the word of God is so ALIVE that each and every time we pick it up, it speaks to each of us indivudally from where we are at during a given time. A passage that I have heard since childhood can sometimes be like a loud gong or flashing light as I hear something very difficult after so long. Usually what I hear is exactly an answer to something I was recently struggling with. May God Bless You.
July 6th, 2009 @ 8:50 am
In agreeing that God is neither father nor mother but both/and, it is easy to see both sides of a loving parent being a “part” of the parent in the Prodigal Son parable. And extending that even further - that is why I believe ministry in the church can be enhanced when both male and female are part and parcel of the priesthood of the church - at every level of the church - and until that is employed and empowered, the church will be missing an important part of what being called to ministry is all about. It is so logical a conclusion, why is it taking the heirarchy so long to come to the same conclusion - is their lust for power preventing them from listening to the wind and spirit that is alive and growing in the church today?
July 5th, 2009 @ 6:34 am
My poetic pen is inspired almost daily as I read Bread for the journey:
Those Hands of our Father are on me.
His Presence was waiting there.
How could I have doubt His loving?
He knows, He loves and He cares!
The nurturing, consoling and caressing
Strengthen my weak areas of need.
Those Hands of our Father are on me.
Now I’m ready to go out and plant seed!
-MDB
July 4th, 2009 @ 10:13 am
The idea that, in the story of the prodigal son, the father watches the older brother become angry and bitter is not supported in the gospels. We do read that the older brother was angry and resentful when the father threw a party for his younger brother upon his return. However, it’s a reach for the writer, Henri Nouwen or other, to say the father was contending with an angry older son all along. We don’t know this, so let’s not read more into something just because we want to support a personal idea. Unfortunately, I see writers and preachers make this mistake quite frequently.
July 1st, 2009 @ 4:41 pm
July 1, 2009 - “Jesus walks with us and speaks to us on the road. When we listen carefully we discover that we are already home while on the way.”
God is good, yes (S)HE is!
—————————————————-
Andrea & Tanya I appreciated reading your reflections to yesterday’s meditation. Today’s (above) gave me an “answer” to the book by Henri, called “Home Tonight”, and many of us on line in the sharing blog wrestled with what “home” is … I love the realization that “we are already home”. If you haven’t done so, I highly recommend that book. Although I read the Return of the Prodigal Son a few times, Home Tonight was more like a mini retreat and gave me much more help in what to reflect on. My suggestion would be to read it at the same time as one trusted friend because it can become a lonely journey otherwise. My refuge was to be able to share herein and I will be honest and say that I really struggled as it is not a quick read if you use it as a tool to become more united with God. Also, there is a video of Fr. Nouwen himself speaking at a conference and the link is on the bottom of each reflection. May God Bless you all. —
Yes, She (God) loves us… I didn’t miss that Andrea
June 30th, 2009 @ 8:24 am
Re Daily Meditations: Coming Home.
As Father Nouwen points out, both sons in this parable have to “come home” to the place of rest in the embrace of God the Father’s unconditional Love. As do we all.
I find it significant and challenging that although our Lord describes in full the “coming home” of the “prodigal son” - the journey of “coming home” of the elder son is left hanging, so to speak. We read His Father’s words to him - but we do not read of the “happy ending” as with the younger brother. I think there is truth to be found also in what our Lord doesn’t say (about the elder brother). Thank you.
June 30th, 2009 @ 4:57 am
Hi:
I’ve read the story of the parable of the Prodigal Son many times. I never saw that the older son was just as lost as the younger son. That never hit me so strongly before.
It’s a reminder that the most important thing is to rest in God’s unconditional love. This meditation also reminds me that God longs to be intimate with me. She wants me to rest in Her.
It is a great blessing to rest with God.
Blessings,
Andrea Scott
June 27th, 2009 @ 1:02 pm
June 27, 2009
“Spiritual courage is something completely different. It is following the deepest desires of our hearts at the risk of losing fame and popularity. It asks of us the willingness to lose our temporal lives in order to gain eternal life.”
—————————————————
As I read this I am thinking it is also embracing our pain and suffering and a “COURAGE” truly is a GIFT of the Holy Spirit because without it, we can’t do all that is required of us. In a homily once I heard, “Love is getting up each day and doing the right thing even though you don’t feel like it.” For many, that takes “Spiritual Courage”.
God Bless you all! - Rose
June 24th, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
June 24, “Flesh Become Word”
I would add to today’s meditation:
It is not only the beautiful and joyful things of our lives that must find words. It is also our troubles, sorrows and our grief. We must give words to our bad times as well as our good times as that is the process God gives us to make sense of our experiences.
One of the greatest gifts we can give to someone is to listen, as it is in being able to talk to someone who cares that our words and feelings sort themselves out.
June 21st, 2009 @ 5:56 pm
‘”How can I grow in the Spirit?”
…is an energy which allows us to be more comfortable as we grow in our own skins, and perhaps in so doing others might be inspired to know where differences arise in various beliefs and perspectives …
Thanks Andi for that sharing. Actually, I am just finding this myself in the past couple of years and it was nice to be able to read your words because I found them affirming.
June 19th, 2009 @ 5:15 am
“The Fruit of the Spirit” , Bread for the Journey, Henri Nouwen
Today’s reflection - June 19th
“. . . Often we think that to witness means to speak up in defense of God …The way God’s Spirit manifests itself most convincingly is through its fruits: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22). These fruits speak for themselves. It is therefore always better to raise the question “How can I grow in the Spirit?” than the question “How can I make others believe in the Spirit?”
…… this is an inspired observation - few of us hold the God given ability, or learned skills to motivate others to our beliefs and biaises …
‘”How can I grow in the Spirit?”
…is an energy which allows us to be more comfortable as we grow in our own skins, and perhaps in so doing others might be inspired to know where differences arise in various beliefs and perspectives …
Blessings
Andi
June 17th, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
“Witnesses of Love” - Henri J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
“How do we know that we are infinitely loved by God when our immediate surroundings keep telling us that we’d better prove our right to exist?
The knowledge of being loved in an unconditional way, before the world presents us with its conditions, cannot come from books, lectures, television programs, or workshops. This spiritual knowledge comes from people who witness to God’s love for us through their words and deeds. These people can be close to us but they can also live far away or may even have lived long ago. Their witness announces the truth of God’s love and calls us to act in accordance with it.”
Let us try to “take in” the positive that is said to us and “shake” more of the negative …. until recently I didn’t realize all the negative comments ever communicated to me (directly or subliminally) I soaked up but the positive I didn’t hear or acted in false humility and this was so detrimental. I’m told this isn’t unusual and I presume most of us (after a presentation, meeting or party, etc), could get 3 positive comments and 1 negative and what would we be replaying in our mind (or complaining about) - all the way home or for hours while not being able to fall asleep? {{I know I am not the only one
}} I am blessed to have so many people on the spiritual journey showing me the love of God but I was too wounded to ever hear it. Now as I lament on the past, after having done a lot of work realize how much positive from outsiders and it never got absorbed until recently — as it is never TOO late! I have found it is so much better to give a positive comment prior to any negative one even if to a co-worker or subordinate. The letter with the 3 typos and you are angry — return it to the assistant/secretary by saying, “wow, you really got this back to me quickly, thank you and when you get a chance please reprint it with these corrections”. Unfortunately, that hasn’t always been my style and thus, I often could have unnecessarily harmed others. I am going to make an effort to really look for ways that I have seen affirmation instead of degradation in the future.
June 14th, 2009 @ 9:14 am
Yes, Phyllis, God is good, life is good and God gives us life. Even in the midst of the most awful WHAT, we can survive (and even thrive) if we have a WHY. LOVE (God) is the why. No matter what our difficulties are, if we look around, we can see that someone else has diffculties that we could not imagine dealing with. Conversely, we should remember that people who seem to live a charmed life may be sufferring in ways that we do not see. Each one of us is blessed and yet, due to our fallen nature, each one of us suffers. But there is one who was blameless and suffered for us all that we may have the grace to endure, persevere and thrive in LOVE.
June 14th, 2009 @ 8:29 am
That we are able to choose love in spite of our circumstances is an amazing thing. I think of those who suffered and survived holocaust and how those whom I know are generous, loving people. I think of those many abused children who decided that when they grew up they would not ever abuse. I think of surviving spousal abuse and the peace I have now. Though I haven’t found the lasting love of a man in all these years, I am surrounded daily by the love of so many others and I am blessed.
June 13th, 2009 @ 6:51 am
God is good and this tells it..We are so Blessed and sometimes do not even know it..but we are..even when we are going through our tribuation..God is there …look at Job and all of what he went through at one time we really are Blessed..God Bless You, Phyllis
June 10th, 2009 @ 5:11 am
Gosh this is a wonderful site..so postive and I am so greatful my friend sent it too me..and I want to thank you all for your hard work and the Blessing it has given me and I am sure others..Thank you, Phyllis
June 9th, 2009 @ 6:43 am
As a child, it was my desire to please my parents, and I believed that if only I was perfect, they would love me and be happy with me. Similarly, I thought of God in the same way. I could earn God’s love with every good thought and deed; conversely, I would lose God’s love (and receive punishment) with every bad thought or deed. Alas, I was never perfect.
Did I punish my own children when they failed to walk perfectly while learning to walk? No, I encouraged their efforts and worried when they failed, but I always loved them (and still do). God loves us–warts and all. Certainly he wishes for us to walk straight, but he forgives when we do not. Life is a spiritual boot camp from which we graduate only upon death. It is in the trying to do good and live right that we become more like God and purer of heart. Only God is perfect and we are merely works in progress.
June 7th, 2009 @ 4:41 pm
I find your recent post very encouraging! You may not have a pure heart the way Jesus has a pure heart but your wish is evidence that such purity is already present in your heart. The weeds and the wheat always grows together and Jesus is not willing to have the weeds pulled because he is concerned for the wheat. The reason I find this encouraging is because I identify with your confession as well as your wish!
God bless!
George
May 29th, 2009 @ 6:00 am
Jesus has a pure heart and I do not. I wish I did. Jesus says he always did the will of his Father. I can’t say that. I wish I could. I have such a long way to go.
agape
bob
May 24th, 2009 @ 5:14 am
Dear Ka Chun:
Your recent post reminds me of two sayings. One is that feelings are neither right nor wrong; they just are. The other is that we must love the sinner but hate the sin.
I don’t know if either of these thoughts apply to your situation, but they have helped guide me in my life.
Just to clarify about feelings: I may be angry with someone because of what that person has done to me. That is not sinful in itself. If I take a stick and hit that person over the head, that is a sin! We must, therefore, be careful not to nurture negative feelings and dwell on them, or our desire to do good may be overwhelmed by our desire to do bad and we decide in favor of the latter.
Wishing you God’s grace,
Ralph
May 23rd, 2009 @ 2:23 am
I am always puzzled with my unstable feelings. Sometimes, when my intimate friend is near me, I am delighted; however, when she behaves not in social norms, I will be very afraid of that and fear comes.
God loves us because Jesus is free to love us. Through pray, God will open me an another space to me, in which a peaceful, stable, foreverlasting love exists.
Thanks Henri’s words.
May 11th, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
I have been going thru many challenges and knowing I have people around me who love me helps me to hear God’s word -some thru what they say and others thru what they don’t say
(btw: my last post was in reference to the meditation on “Friends and their Limitations”.. haha not that I was calling any of you limited!)
(bbtw -haha- I really savour this time ‘to belong’ to something greater than myself..You are all my community)
May 5th, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
My son has been deployed to Afghanistan and knowing he is in harm’s way and seeing my daughter-in-law and their 3 children (5,3&7mos.) living without him breaks my heart so to have this community with all your limitations is a true gift of God for me …Thanks!
May 3rd, 2009 @ 9:19 pm
I affirm Jim 24th April’s expressed thanks for this `loving’ community which feeds our souls and spirits with daily meditations of purity and Godly loving kindness…Small daily morsels that gather into a kernel of truth every week…blessed indeed we who receive
May 1st, 2009 @ 12:56 pm
thank you!
May 1st, 2009 @ 12:39 pm
Here you are Joe.
Writing, Opening a Deep Well, “Bread for the Journey”, Henri J.M. Nouwen
Writing is not just jotting down ideas. Often we say: “I don’t know what to write. I have no thoughts worth writing down.” But much good writing emerges from the process of writing itself. As we simply sit down in front of a sheet of paper and start to express in words what is on our minds or in our hearts, new ideas emerge, ideas that can surprise us and lead us to inner places we hardly knew were there.
One of the most satisfying aspects of writing is that it can open in us deep wells of hidden treasures that are beautiful for us as well as for others to see.
May 1st, 2009 @ 12:19 pm
Ralph, thanks for responding to the April 28th quote (“Writing, Opening a Deep Well”, Bread for the Journey, by Henri Nouwen). If any one still has that quote can you please post it again… I accidently deleted it.
joe
April 28th, 2009 @ 5:14 am
Re: “Writing, Opening a Deep Well”, Bread for the Journey, by Henri Nouwen
There are many kinds of writing and the kind that Nouwen writes of–simply pouring one’s thoughts and feelings out on paper–has always been somewhat cathartic to me. I think one of the most important aspects of this practice is not to self-censor, but to allow whatever is on my mind to be put on paper without judging whether it is worth reading or not. I am the primary reader. It is for me that I write. Sometimes, if the writing is judged to be helpful, I allow others to read it. That can be scary, for I sometiems fear being criticized for being me.
April 24th, 2009 @ 6:13 am
Thank you for the daily emails. I am researching
the relationship of Henri Nouwen and Fred (Mister)
Rogers. I see a lot of similiarities in their thought and lifestyles and spirituality. Today, April 24,
I am happy to know of the HN website and this community. God bless you all today. God has made you
to make this a special day for your family, friends
and community, and I am happy to be know of your mission, and to be able to join in.
April 15th, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
“Reading Spiritually About Spiritual Things” - Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen
I had an inkling of these thoughts when I was studying in seminary. Nouwen’s writings are getting more airplay in seminary; a good sign.
April 15th, 2009 @ 7:34 am
“As we read spiritually about spiritual things, we open our hearts to God’s voice. Sometimes we must be willing to put down the book we are reading and just listen to what God is saying to us through its words.”
When I am in ordinary waking consciousness, it is hard for me to get my mind around the mystery of going from reading words to listening to God’s voice. For me, it helps to remember a dream where this shift happened literally. I was reading a text and as I was reading, I heard a voice from heaven, and I realized that the divine, loving, self-giving presence behind the voice was seeing me, moving toward me, seeking to transform me by taking up residence in me, abiding in me. The divine presence discovered himself in me. That woke me, both literally, I woke from sleep, and metaphorically, it awakened me the power of reading spiritual texts in a spiritual way.
Incidentally, the spiritual text in the dream was written by Henri Nouwen.
April 14th, 2009 @ 8:44 am
There is another side to laying down your life for a friend. We are also to speak the truth in love. In my experience most folks are more afraid to speak the truth to a friend. It is easier to do something sacrificial for someone, you will receive thanks, appreciation and praise in most instances.
Telling a friend what is true is a great risk. They will likely be upset, defensive, angry or may even reject you. When we truly love someone, we will risk their displeasure because we want, more than anything, for them to experience the fullness of Father’s pleasure.
April 10th, 2009 @ 2:38 am
If our leaders were not human - with all the cracks that they show, the light of God would not shine from them. Cracks are vital.
April 6th, 2009 @ 8:46 am
“…ways to remain humble and confident, humorous and serious, playful and responsible.”
I spent some time today meditating with Nouwen on being huge and tiny. I thought about the whole universe and tiny me — how humbling — then skipped to my inner vastness, my universe within — how huge.
There is a big difference between just reading the words, and meditating on the meaning. The fast skips are funny and awesome.
April 5th, 2009 @ 3:20 am
Truth again! To be received, welcomed, and even become dependent is a great compliment. The great times this reflection brings to mind…”I wait for your return” or “such a good insight, or beautiful gift.”
Once again I am reminded to receive while truly adding Jesus to my life.
How appropriate! For without the writings, and person, of Henri Nouwen the doors of acceptance might have stayed shut in my life. He continues as a source of encouragement for me.
Thank you all.
March 23rd, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
March 19, 2009 - The infinite value of life
This entry would suggest that the value of life is based on the quality or the accomplishments or the contributions we have. I believe ALL life has absolute valuable because we are created by God, in His image and does not depend on our accomplishments or how well our life is lived.
March 23rd, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
Knowing yourself.
I came to the conclusion that we all have an identical terrible destructive twin deep in ourselves. In times of peace we have to keep him carefully chained up. In moments of dangers we might need him. Please comment!
March 16th, 2009 @ 9:43 am
I am really taken with Henri’s metaphor of the trees and the wild reeds, but I am wondering about James’ warning not to be blown about with every wind of doctrine. The difficulty, it seems to me, is determining what doctrines are to root us, doctrines which we will never compromise–and then determining those things we believe but are not essential to our faith and we can bend on those.
I used to cling to the nonessentials–style of music, proper church dress, etc.–but God has graciously freed me from the error of that kind of thinking. I am ashamed when I think how long I argued in favor of the convictions which were not just nonesssential, but wrong.
Thanks for this great reminder from Henri.
March 14th, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
I can certainly identify with today’s message about knowing the presence of Jesus in absence. I have lost several who definitely showed me Christ in the flesh and now they have gone to be in His nearer presence. Likewise, some who have left me geographically continue to offer me Christ’s presence even now, in their physical absence.
Shalom
March 14th, 2009 @ 11:02 am
Reaction to Susan’s comments March 9th
There are so many concepts (always man-made incidentally) that we have difficulty with and I, too, often reflect on our judgementalism. I guess the best approach is to constantly observe the judgementalism as objectively as possible especially of oneself and have fun with those observations. As an advocate of putting fun high up the scale of importance while realizing who you are tempered by the knowledge that there is a consequence for everything I would have to say that.
Peter
Site: Self Realization
March 10th, 2009 @ 8:43 am
March 10
I can identify with the fact that we are often paralyzed by the enormity of the needs of the world around us. How can we know with certainty which ones we are called to help in and which we should just leave to God to provide for. Some are easy to discern but others move us to do something but we lack the knowledge or means to help. I guess that answers some of my question, God provides for what he wants us to do. This still leaves open the question of what to do when you are unsure of the action to take and you have the means to take action?
March 9th, 2009 @ 5:20 pm
I’ve always had difficulty with this concept. Once you get up in the morning, your day is full of nothing but judgements. How does one get past having to make decisions about people and the way they act towards them or others?
Wouldn’t a person have to become a simpleton with no opinion about anyone or anything?
March 6th, 2009 @ 10:56 am
Fr. Nouwen, as is our parish priest Fr. Peter, the persons who bring me back to the Holiness of God. So many people and relationships I really miss; then I remember the Giver of each friendship.
“Thy will be done.”
March 3rd, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
The idea of Friendship as covenant is lacking in our culture. I have made many friendships, but quite often people look at friendship as a commodity. “When the friendship no longer meets my needs. I don’t need you any more”. Friendships are sacred relationships as well as a covenant. Just one more example of our disposible culture.
March 3rd, 2009 @ 11:51 am
“God’s faithfulness and ours” is a beautiful reminder of our image and likeness of Him. Often in such betrayed times this life brings (through me or to me)
the reminder of His Holy example rather than a reactive response brings me peace.
Thank you1
March 3rd, 2009 @ 9:13 am
Today’s message,”God’s faithfulness and ours” taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey brings to mind the irony that in so many lives we see much support given to those who are told they need to shun difficult people in their lives and perhaps end a difficult relationships. Today’s message from Henri Nouwen brings bravery and purpose to the hearts of those who know that they are unable to ever stop loving those in their lives who may not be acting in healthy or appropriate ways. We must note that abuse is never to be allowed. Abuse is not love. Abuse must be kept at a distance from all people.
Love that is felt for a difficult person should always be given toward them, even if from a safe distance…
February 27th, 2009 @ 10:39 am
“Creating Space for God”, Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
This is exactly what I needed hear. I say hear because it was like Henri speaking them. These are simple words but profound thoughts. In fact , Henri Nouwen has been such a powerful inspiration to me not just because of his books but his life as well. I am blest to live close to L’arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
February 17th, 2009 @ 9:20 am
Every time I read the February 16th meditation, “The Intimacy of the Table” I am reminded of how far away I am from the table. Instead of sharing a meal and conversation, dinner has become a quick bite in front of the TV. Henri invites me to return to the table, to take time to gather with family and friends, enjoy good food and appreciate the gift we are to one another.
February 17th, 2009 @ 8:37 am
February 16: “The Initimacy of the Table”
I like Nouwen’s analogy of the dinner table as a barometer of family life. However in our American society today the table is not the meeting place it once was.
February 16th, 2009 @ 8:41 am
Ibrahim:
Sorry that it took me so long to comment on your message. You sounded confused and I, too, often get confused when it comes to faith and spirituality. This is my interpretation of what it meant: We will all die. Our lives, in a sense, are a preparation to enter into another way of living–eternally with God. Our focus in this life should not be on ourselves (Will I die well? Will I get to heaven?), but should be on our neighbor (Will I live well, love well, that my love will continue to exist in the hearts of those whom I have touched?). When our focus is on the other and our lives on earth end, we can be assured that we will die well and live well with God. Hope this helps.
February 13th, 2009 @ 8:33 am
“Celebrating Being Alive” - February 13th, Bread for the Journey
Just the other day, I was interviewing a young man who was seeking treatment at our 28 day rehab for drug addiction. He was a soldier who had just returned from Afganhistan, suffering from PTSD.
When I asked him what his date of birth was, he said February 10th. I gushed, “Oh today is your birthday!!..Happy Birthday!!” He looked at me very sadly and said “yeah, some birthday”. I said the only thing that came to mind..”Today we can celebrate that you are alive, and that you have a purpose being here” It sounded a bit like a Hallmark card, and I felt I didnt really help..but truth is, sadly..some people don’t celebrate their lives. Too much pain and hurt and no where to go with it. We all have pain and hurt. but when you know Jesus, you have a place to go with it. I wish that for this young man. And as Henri said in today’s message..let’s all celebrate that we are here..and now.
February 10th, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
February 10th - “Dying Well” from Henri Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey
I sort of understand today’s ( Feb 10 2009) quote…but not totally…sort of I still need to do something in the remaining days to die well…..which is exactly opposite what he says….any clarification would help.
Thanks
ibrahim
February 1st, 2009 @ 6:22 am
Just a note to let you know that each day’s thought for the day is such a treasure. I look forward to finding each day’s nugget in my email inbox. Keep up the good work.
Sr. Maureen Fukushima, Japan
January 30th, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
Dear Sharon, (last entry)
I wrote a long response to support you last night but using another name which sadly was not accepted by the system.
I will write again to you, but cannot now write a great deal.
Please do not force yourself to feel other than you feel today (meaning present times) because to recover, and indeed to become stronger than before you need to grieve and to seek and accept love and care from others. You will find these - there still are the very good amoung us.
Don’t listen, indeed walk (quickly)from those who counsel you to `buck up’ etc and close yourself off from those evil relatives. Never permit them to enter your space…they do not wish you well, but to destroy you.
God, in his son Jesus, never tolerated evil. I do not read in the Gospels Jesus being forgiving to evil doers….Jesus championed the good and cast out demons. Evil is not forgivable in the sense that some people tritely talk about. These people probably have never encountered what you have, and what I have to a slightly lesser extent - criminal behaviour in order to enrich themselves……I was spared your physical mutilation, but otherwise your account is familiar to my experience…NOT at the hands of my husband, and children. Certainly your former husband is a psychopath….you cannot win with psychopaths…
In order to achieve their greedy evil gains these types of people lose all sense of decency…maybe theydid not have it in the first place, or when they developed their personality they chose the `dark’ side of human nature.
A person needs to understand they have done wrong and feel contrition before they can be forgiven for their transgressions, and in the case of sheer evil doing, they need to do some concrete things to ameliorate or try to restore `things’ to what they were before. This will be impossible for you ….your physical scars will not subside…but if the perpetrators understood their evil, and repented of what they had done, it would enhance your psychic
healing.
However, you don’t need these evil-doers to support your psychic recovery, you need to be strong, as you are, and recover, and not only recover as you were, but better and you will. This will be your goal, to become better and not permit evil to triumph You will show these evil people that you are a good person, and that you will not be tarnished with their evilness. Such striving, such attitudes will be `a slap in the face for them’ because evil wants to destroy good and you are too brave and strong to permit that to occur.
Look to nature, the beauty of life, and to good, kind supportive, (but intelligent) people to lead you through this `dark night’.
May loving kindness surround you…
January 29th, 2009 @ 12:33 pm
Today’s Quote: “Healing Our Memories” by Henri J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
“Forgiving does not mean forgetting. When we forgive a person, the memory of the wound might stay with us for a long time, even throughout our lives. Sometimes we carry the memory in our bodies as a visible sign. But forgiveness changes the way we remember. It converts the curse into a blessing. When we forgive our parents for their divorce, our children for their lack of attention, our friends for their unfaithfulness in crisis, our doctors for their ill advice, we no longer have to experience ourselves as the victims of events we had no control over.
Forgiveness allows us to claim our own power and not let these events destroy us; it enables them to become events that deepen the wisdom of our hearts. Forgiveness indeed heals memories.”
On March 29, 2006 my husband attempted to kill me on the street in front of our rural home. I was stabbed 27 times. My wounds are still visible. My good looks were taken from me as a knife stuck into my mouth ripped open down to the side and back of my neck. My chin was slashed, my throat was slashed four times, my right lung collapsed as my chest was stabbed, and every time I tried to get up (he was sitting on me) he stabbed me in the back. I tried to fend off the attack with the only defense I had, my hands. Both hands were severly cut up. I still have numbness and pain in all digits. I spent a year in physical therapy to regain the use of my hands and I am still in psychological counseling for the emotional stress I suffer.
During my first several months of healing I found, with the help of my attorney, that this was all planned well beforehand. My spouse had enlisted the help of his two youngest daughters, both in their 40’s, to defraud me of my assets.
While I was in the hospital in a coma one daughter flew in from Nevada, broke into our home and stole every scrap of paper from the desk of her father, all our trust deeds, living trust, birth certificates, passports, insurance policies, etc., car titles, bank accounts, everything that pertained to our marital assets of 24 years. He had given her power of attorneys that enabled her to steal away everything from me.
This woman is a psychologist who works with troubled children for the Las Vegas school system. She knew exactly what her father was/is and she played me along as her beloved stepmother of 24 years. She snuck into my hospital room and laughed at the wounds her father had inflicted on me saying, “my father can be such a little stinker, can’t he!” As she walked out of my hospital room she said, “just remember, what doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger”.
Her father was finally sentenced (after 2 1/2 years) to prison for 12 years after five postponements by his defense attorneys. I am waiting for the marital dissolution to happen in March of 2009 (after 5 postponements) and for the personal injury suit scheduled for July of 2009.
So far his two daughters managed to get away with $874,000.00 of liquidated marital assets. All other assets remain frozen by the court system and I am living on borrowed money while awaiting for the outcome of the marital dissolution and the personal injury suit.
I can not imagine what motivated the three of them to treat me this way. I was a good wife and a good stepmother. The man I married was controlling, manipulative and domineering. The more material wealth we accumulated together only made him worse. I lived the last years of our relationship together with constant threats of what he would do to me if I ever left him.
These events have consumed my whole life for the past 34 months. I search out and read everything that deals with forgiveness. I still try to make sense of it all. My life now is all about trying to go on, trying to get past events and people I had no control over.
Today’s quotation was saved, printed and added to the growing list of quotes, stories, etc. I have accumulated for the purpose of helping me to get through my new life.
And yes I was saved by the grace of God on the night of March 29, 2006 after being left to die on that dark street. For the first time in my life I had something real to pray for. I asked God to save my life. It was maybe 30 seconds later that I saw car lights in the distance. The car turned off the main road onto another and then made a right turn onto my street.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10
Sharon
January 28th, 2009 @ 2:31 pm
Todays meditation:
Forgiving in the name of God.
So touched by Henri’s words. All my life, this feeling of abandonment has plagued me, from the time I can remember and I am not sure why. I was always terrified that I would be left alone and then what?? And like some self fufilling prophecy, this abandonment theme took on a life of its own and every hurt, bruise, disapoointment was proof to me that I was truly alone and that no one..NO ONE…was to be trusted.
Like the peeling of an onion, I have been exposed over the past five years since I have renewed my love for Jesus. I am ‘alone’ now in the true sense of the word, I have lost most of my old connections and parents and a husband..but I rarely feel lonely EXCEPT when I get frozen in time
when that old ‘proof” of unlovability rears its ugly head. When I am hurt or deeply wounded by someone I didn’t expect to hurt or disappoint me. it takes time for me to process my pain and resentment. I pray for the grace to forgive..I am not fully there but recognize this life as a work in progress and Jesus’ love as patient and understanding of our humanity. More patient and understanding than we are of ourselves.
He says “I will never leave nor forsake you”..
This you can believe..
God bless you all. Special prayers for you, Judy
January 28th, 2009 @ 11:04 am
I hide behind many things to avoid feeling my fear of abandonment. Right now I’m going through some deep hurt inflicted by words and actions of my first born son. These words have brought out that fear along with an admission that I want to control his feelings towards me so that I am loved and accepted.
This is hard for me to admit and I pray that Jesus will take this feeling away from me and give me strength to do the right thing out of love instead of for the need to be loved.And to forgive out of love and not hold resentment.
January 26th, 2009 @ 5:32 am
Today’s meditation - Forgiveness, the Way to Freedom.
C.S. Lewis wrote “Last week in prayer, I discovered, or at least I think I did, that I suddenly was able to forgive someone that I had been trying to forgive for over thirty years.”
This quote offers me hope.
There is a huge difference between forgiving someone who you believe has done you or those you love damage, but has now disappeared completely from your lives; and someone who does damage to you and/or yours but is an integral part of your current existence. The envy/malice/indifference that occasionally may swamp our consciousness around this person can have the effect of railroading our best intentions.
What might we do to keep the journey to ultimate forgiveness and healing close to our hearts?
Blessings,
Andi
January 24th, 2009 @ 10:47 am
Without solitude, I become occupied with the pressing clamor of the physical world around me in the present moment, my mind buzzes with nostalgic thoughts of a more pleasant past and my heart desires a more peaceful future. With solitude, I reflect on the goodness in my life and my body is more relaxed, my mind is more at ease and my soul is more at peace communing with my God. It is not a rejection of the world, but a respite from it to remember and learn who I really am and why I am here so that I interact with my neighbor in a more loving way.
January 18th, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
The January 18, ‘Finding Solitude’ meditation speaks much to my heart. This is where “being real” can safely be done. Praying in the secret place of prayer of solitude, worship, or being still to listen to His heartbeat. Though now that I’ve gotten married and it’s a bit of a challenge sometimes to have solitude, it is something that must be taken time for. Without it life is more difficult. So necessary that Jesus Himself took the time away, even from the inner core of disciples to hear from His Father. He only did what He saw the Father doing. Is it possible this was that place that He found that out? I believe so.
January 15th, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
“Pray unceasingly,” is what we are ordered to do by scripture. As a young adult, I wondered how I could possible pray unceasingly. Then, at 20, I believe, I became a Cloistered Carmelite. What a beautiful life! We studied St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa, seemingly unceasingly. The Carmelite Spirit became part of our lives. We prayed unceasingly for the sins of the world and for vocations to the priesthood. We slept, but in our sleep, we prayed unceasingly. As we mopped the floor, we prayed unceasingly. As we took our shower, for it is important to care for our tabernacle, we prayed unceasingly. Prayer became a constant. We prayed the Divine Office at certain designated times, that changed constantly to be the right time around the world. The Divine Office is prayed unceasingly. People pray their Rosary, so the Rosary prayers go on unceasingly. “We” are the Church. The Church prays unceasingly. So, it is not only I who pray unceasingly, it is The Church, which is an extension of me. It is to God within that we constantly dedicate ourself to become the best we can to give Him glory for creating us. We, you and I, pray unceasingly, and it makes the “unceasingly” even more compact praying unceasingly.
I only stayed in Carmel for three years, but Carmel never left me. The spirit, once it engulfs you, never leaves you. “Praying unceasingly” was defined for me in a way I could understand. Now, at 64 years of age, I still pray unceasingly, while petting my doggie, a true gift of companionship for a woman God never gave a spouse to, a jealous God who never let me put other gods before Him. Praying for the sins of the world and for vocations are still a focus, too. How I love how God has worked in my life and provided for this soul, such peace. God grant you unceasing peace!
January 14th, 2009 @ 7:10 am
From Unceasing Thinking to Unceasing Praying (1/14 meditation) reminded me once again of Nouwen’s quote
“Jesus does not give a political interpretation of the event but a spiritual one. “What happened invites you to conversion”. This is the deepest meaning of history: a constant invitation calling us to turn our hearts to God and so discover the full meaning of our lives.” ( Here And Now page 73). I think that is the foundational message Nouwen communicated in so many ways - All of life is a journey with God.
January 9th, 2009 @ 6:34 am
Today’s meditation - Stepping over our wounds….
….’The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there’….
This piece reminds me of a concept that I found helpful in my spiritual life when I encountered it over twenty years ago. We may inform ourselves of our tendency to weight our life prism towards one or other side of a ‘locus of control’ concept.
Locus of control refers to an individual’s perception about the underlying main causes of events in his/her life. Or, more simply:
Do you believe that your destiny is controlled by yourself or by external forces? Destiny or Free Will or a mixture of both?
A locus of control orientation is a belief about whether the outcomes of our actions are contingent on what we do (internal control orientation) or on events outside our personal control (external control orientation.
Locus of control is a continuum, ranging from external - Individual believes that his/her behaviour is guided by fate, luck, or other external circumstances to…… internal - Individual believes that his/her behaviour is guided by his/her personal decisions and efforts.
Psychologically, a greater internal locus of control is generally seen as the desirable. Spiritually, or religiously, an external locus of control may seem more desirable, where one’s destiny remains in the control of a Higher Power.
However, its important not to embrace an over-simplistic view that internal is good and external is bad or vice versa. To get an idea of your preference,
a very simple 20 question locus of control indicator provides a grading for internal or external control and is located at:
http://www.dushkin.com/connectext/psy/ch11/survey11.mhtml
Blessings
Andi
January 6th, 2009 @ 2:10 pm
Hving arrived at the ripe “old/young” age of 76 I am finally coming to the realization that my life in front of me is much less than that behind me. Today’s meditation is so relevant to us who are now in the category of “senior”. We can moan and groan, act as if our life is over, become a couch-potato, etc. etc. - OR we can accept who we are and put to use our years of experience volunteering in ways to help our fellow beings. Make each moment a full experience as that moment is all we have.
January 6th, 2009 @ 10:36 am
Today’s meditation on Choices regarding the way individuals respond to a given set of circumstances, is so true, but as one currently going through a recent job loss, and one who -up to this time- even though I didn’t want something like this to happen, I am able to see this as a gift; that choice, to view this as a positive, and to take positive steps going forward, is only a “choice” because of bunches of graces that I have been given, it is not me, it is all gift.
January 6th, 2009 @ 7:55 am
On December 31st - (Happy New Year to one and all) - Robert wrote :
‘The big question remains; as long as we all cling to ‘our’ view of God, how can we respect another’s view? … Will we ever respect another ‘man of God’
while his worship is to another face of God? ‘
By far the majority of folks do and, please God, will continue to respect one another.
I wonder if holding a vested belief blessed through a commitment to that belief necessarily leads to fanaticism and rejection of other ways of embracing the spiritual or divine. Knowledge of the ‘other’ can equally lead to love for the ‘other’. Religion has no life without the ego of conscious man which drives actions.
A new programme experiencing very different beliefs has just started on British television.
In “Around the World in 80 Faiths”, English priest Peter Owen Jones has set himself an enormous challenge: to travel the globe and take part in the most important rituals of 80 of the world’s religions, a journey covering our most beautiful and holy places, people and events. Throughout his tour he meets the practitioners of the faiths, attempts to understand their beliefs and immerses himself in astonishing religious ceremonies. Jones’ epic quest covers six continents, taking in the Far East, where the world’s most ancient religions are still practiced, Europe, Africa, Australasia, North and South America, and the Middle East, the epicentre of religious turmoil today.
Amid often baffling and intense events, Peter finds moments of serenity from the remote beauty of the Mongolian mountain shrines to the synagogues of Lithuania left empty in the wake of the Holocaust. Written with Jones’ characteristic insight and wit, and complete with full-colour photographs from his extraordinary travels, “Around the World in 80 Faiths” is possibly the most comprehensive picture of religious expression ever published.
Peter Owen Jones is a writer, television presenter and vicar in an English parish. He is the author of several books. “Around the World in 80 Faiths” is available to order now at a significant discount to the published price; and the BBC programme of his journey is running currently…more information at:
www.bbc.co.uk/80faiths/
After watching other spiritual and religious beliefs in practise through this programme or book might we perhaps hold a greater love towards those persons practising very different spiritualities from self … or less….
Blessings,
Andi
January 4th, 2009 @ 6:28 am
Bravo
December 31st, 2008 @ 11:29 am
Daily Meditation for December 31, 2008 (”God’s Imagination”) was exactly my revelation of many years ago. Joining hands around the globe in the name of God is a grand idea, and I do believe this is the answer God seeks for all of us to preserve this Earth. The big question remains; as long as we all cling to ‘our’ view of God, how can we respect another’s view? Will a Christian ever hold hands with a Muslim? Will a Jew ever hold hands with a Buddhist? Sadly, I’ve interviewed people on this exact issue for more than ten years now, and see nothing but the end of this world driven by division of religions. Will we ever respect another ‘man of God’ while his worship is to another face of God?
December 29th, 2008 @ 9:32 am
As I read today’s reflection on the ministry of reconciliation, it speaks directly to what I face constantly - a need to reconcile with those with whom we have differences. Pray for me as I have been having constant bickers and quarrels with my sister over the minutest of matters and this really should not be our way of life as Christians, as people who know the Lord and claim to love God.
December 29th, 2008 @ 9:19 am
Many thanks G. Ryan for alerting us to the typo on the Dec. 27th meditation. I have emailed our programmer to correct it.
Blessings,
Maureen
Henri Nouwen Society
December 27th, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
Thank you, Andi for your comment of December 17, 2008.I like to think of God as love and only love. Your comments were very much in line with that. Thanks again.
December 27th, 2008 @ 2:46 pm
Typo alert:
The online version of the Dec. 27 entry is titled: “Nonjudgmental Pressure.” But according to the hard copy, it is supposed to read, “Nonjudgmental Presence.”
December 24th, 2008 @ 3:16 pm
As I read Randall’s weekly reflection, it quickly brought to mind the most beautiful prayer session I engaged in while visiting Calcutta in October. We were visiting Ankur Kala, a home/shelter/training center for abused and neglected women founded by Annie Joseph. Prior to the work day all the women assemble in prayer and we, the visitors, shared the same simple space. The prayer itself was based on the inter-faith prayer of Taize but the group of women were Hindu, Muslim and Christian praising the one God whom we all love and sustains us. What a tender few moments…and, as tears readily flowed, it again reinforced my own perception of oneness among God’s creation.
December 24th, 2008 @ 10:12 am
Kristen…thank you…today’s reflection…
… “neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nothing already in existence and nothing still to come, nor any power, nor the heights nor the depths, nor any created thing whatever, will be able to come between us and the love of God, known to us in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
Today’s blessing speaks to me about the unconditional love of God, and although I can’t prize myself loose from the feeling that an ever loving and knowing God would not create a soul that he knew was destined to spend an eternity in Hell…….I can let it go….
Paradox….we must leave to God the things that are Gods. Today is the moment to be grateful to Him for our knowledge of Jesus… I will be part of the choir this evening singing Alleluias……
A holy and blessed Christmas to all!
Andi
December 24th, 2008 @ 9:10 am
There could be no better message of Christ’s birth than the weekly reflection received today. Many blessings to all.
December 23rd, 2008 @ 6:31 am
Re: The Heart of Jesus:
Jesus is the paradox of LOVE.
December 22nd, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
To all those, who like me, are consoled and uplifted by the daily meditations we receive find in Christmas every blessing and in the New Year Hope, Peace and Joy.
With special thanks to all those at Henri Nouwen Centre and those who contribute in leading us from afar.
December 21st, 2008 @ 2:12 am
I would like to comment on Andi’s writing.
I really do not know quite where to begin.
A loving God seems to me to have given us choices.
The saving choice is not our own perfection, rather the perfection of the very Son of God as our Sacrifice Lamb and our acceptance of His sacrifice as the Son of God.
God desires to sanctify us, but He has given us a free-will, so God needs our consent or obedience in order to purify and sanctify us. God respects our choices and therefore God cannot santify those who do not want to be sanctified and purified, those who do not want to stop sinning, those who do not want to live a holy life.
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God is perfect and holy, and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says “The wages of sin is death.”
God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.
Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. “God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”
Jesus rose from the dead and now He lives in heaven with God His Father. He offers us the gift of eternal life — of living forever with Him in heaven if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me.”
God reaches out in love to you and wants you to be His child. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name.” You can choose to ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and come in to your life as your Lord and Savior.
Just like the the thief on the cross, who confessed that Jesus and our Lord said, “This day you will be with me in Paradise.” So those who confess have the humility to take on the salvation offered through the blood of Jesus.
The other side of the the question, I believe is seen in the fall of Lucifer. Although God created him high and beautiful he was not content with being close to God and being humble. He wanted to make the kingdom of God his own.
Micah 6:8 (King James Version)
8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Humility to receive the mercy of cross, and the humility to receive God’s own Son as our Saviour, while living in His ways to me is the statement of
Heaven.
I sort of compair these things to my home. We welcome people to our home. Some come in and want to rule, even destroy. Others realize there is a good deal of freedom in obedience and respect.
Yes we have all sinned beyond anything we could cover ourselves. The blood of the lamb brought Israel in right relation ship with God, the lamb had to be offered and the conditions for the purity of the sacrifice were certain. So our sacrifice Lamb is Jesus and the receiving of the sacrifice in humility.
This is my understanding of salvation and the choice we have to receive or not receive.
December 17th, 2008 @ 7:10 pm
I have a real problem with this piece today. Fires of Hell for all eternity for those of us, as I most certainly am, who are imperfect, and these eternal fires sustained by an everloving God who knew my destiny at the moment He created me? No, I Don’t believe so!
So where does this view of a soul being eternally damned emanate? Possibly from a mistranslation of the word eternal, which holds many differing interpretations, and an alternate interpretaion to eternal sits in Eastern Orthodoxy.
The theological school in Antioch taught that the souls of sinners who die in an imperfect state of loving awareness will indeed receive eternal life, but only after being purified in the fires of Hell. This seems to me to the origin of the concept of purgatory, which for Catholics of my age, held both fear and favour in the possibility of redemption from serious sin through suffering in fire, temporarily, but with the aspiration thereafter of the reward of eternal life in the presence of the Creator.
“If a man’s reach can not exceed his grasp, then what use is a heaven to him?”
The doctrine of universal salvation is found in the earliest Christian literature, and was taught by both allegorical and literal theological schools alike. It fits with the view that an all-knowing and all loving God, who created us with our frailties and knowing all our future actions and failings as well as our ultinate destiny would not create a person whose soul was destined to spend an eternity suffering in the fires of Hell.
The finality of an eternal damnation in Hell was rejected by the Eastern Christian Church centuries ago but maintained in the Western discipline. Surely the West has erred.
Time to re-flect… In the Doctrine of a Purgatory, God releases the souls from fire at the request of Christians through a prayerful intervention. Most of the early Western churches embraced a universal salvation from the very beginning of Christianity. But not the West. is it time to remember that God loves the sinner also?
Blessings,
Andi
December 13th, 2008 @ 8:44 am
In today’s meditation - Anticipating the Vision (12/13) Nouwen encourages us that “The marvelous vision of the peaceable Kingdom…calls for its realisation in our day-to-day lives… Every time we forgive our neighbor, every time we make a child smile, every time we show compassion to a suffering person, every time we arrange a bouquet of flowers, offer care to tame or wild animals, prevent pollution, create beauty in our homes and gardens, and work for peace and justice among peoples and nations we are making the vision come true.
It made me reflect on a bookmark my wife made for her students in a Health Issues in Poverty class.
If anything matters, then everything matters.
Because you are important, everything you do is important.
Every time your forgive,the universe changes:
every time you reach out and touch a heart or a
life, the world changes;
with every kindness, seen or unseen, my purposes
are accomplished and
Nothing will ever be the same…again.
(THE SHACK,pg 235)
I thought about a comment a friend had made: “I think The Shack is the kind of book Nouwen would have written if he had written fiction.”
December 12th, 2008 @ 10:57 pm
Today’s words remind me of so many times our Lord Jesus has trudged through the ways of sin and death to life in this ordinary time with me.
I also remember a vision, a dream, portrayed in the world of the cinema.”It’s a Beautiful Live” portrays a father saving his son from the hopelessness of the horrid Nazi prison camps.
In the story “It’s a Beautiful Life” Italian comic Roberto Benigni makes love and laughter come alive in a Nazi concentration camp. When his son questions the living conditions he creates a vision of tank coming to take the group on a ride. The dream and survival bring joy to a place where life, vision and joy seem to be banished.
It so reminds me of Jesus coming to take us at the end of this age. I think we each have the capcity to have a vision and assist with creating a vision of hope and joy with excitement as we wait.
December 9th, 2008 @ 1:52 am
I am Edward from Hong Kong. It’s my pleasure to receive your society “daily meditation”.
I love it for the topic “Renewal of the Whole Creation
” on 8th December, 2008 because I, at the same time, drafting my paper concerning Christianity and Substainable Development.
Thanks
December 8th, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
“Giving Permission to Die”, Bread for the Journey, Henri J.M. Nouwen
To Anna:
I am posting the December 5th writing from you in a frame to keep before me.
Thank you.
In His Love,
Kristen
December 6th, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
Deaer Carl,
What a blessing you have given us all to share this event. Faith is truly a gift and those who have it are so very fortunate. Life is beyond words without it I believe.
Blessings to you at this Holy time..
Judith
December 6th, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
my humble comment on today’s reflection - 6/12/08 -
two Scriptures:
Psalm 119.130
The entrance of Thy Words giveth light, it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Jeremiah 9.24
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord Who exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.
Shalom
Anna
December 5th, 2008 @ 9:14 am
My wife died of a cancer two months ago; she died without fear because of her deep faith. God was also good to both of us; she was still driving and playing bridge two days before you passed on. It was a lesson in faith to see her go without the slightest fear.
December 2nd, 2008 @ 6:11 am
Re: “The Dilemma of Life”, December 2nd meditation from Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey
Unlike Paul, the times I have desired to pass through the gate of death was not seeking a new life but simply running away from this life. I sought to leave the pain and suffering and futilty I felt toward this world, hoping to have relief in heaven. It was a rejection of my fellow brothers and sisters and their problems that caused me to want an escape. This was wrong, of course. Death will come soon enough, whether I desire it or not. My focus needs to be, however, on life and on the living and on all these fellow souls trapped in their skins.
November 30th, 2008 @ 11:23 pm
“Spiritual Bodies”, November 30th reflection, Bread for the Journey, by Henri Nouwen
“in the resurrection we will have spiritual bodies”? In what sense? Do you mean our physical bodies will be augmented by the spiritual….for instance, that they will operate in a different way? I ask because at the resurrection we will be raised up in our physical bodies.
November 16th, 2008 @ 1:39 pm
As an intellectual in “recovery” lol, I really like today’s meditation. Thank you, spirit of Henri and thank you moderators for sending it today.
November 15th, 2008 @ 6:01 am
Faced with a world in which economies and their institutions are continuously failing, genocide is increasing and the earth’s environment is gasping for breath, it is comforting to know that our God loves us, that Jesus’ death still saves us and that brotherly love can be an antidote to the mankind’s cruelty and imperfections. Each of us is a pilgrim on this journey through life, but none of us can traverse it successfully without each other. These meditations throw light on the paths we must take. Thank to all of you for them.
November 5th, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
“On the Journey to Becoming a Peacemaker” by Albert Lewis
This meditation is great for the day after the election of Barack Obama as president of the U.S. He truly wants us to live in peace, take care of our brother and no longer teach our children about war.
November 4th, 2008 @ 6:57 am
on The Poverty of Our Leaders - i was really astounded and encouraged to read this in my inbox this morning.
as the wife of a pastor, i so often see what this is talking about - the tendency to forget that our church leaders are often subject to intense loneliness, sadness, poverty etc. i would love to shout this particular meditation from the rooftops to remind us all of how our church leaders are just as deserving of love and mercy as anybody else, when they so often receive our judgment and thoughtlessness instead.
October 30th, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
The words touch deeply.
Our right to life and receive life through Him and His body is communicated so well through this devotion.
Such a blessing.
October 29th, 2008 @ 9:04 am
“On the Journey To Seeing With The Eyes of the Heart” by Sue Mosteller, CSJ
What an incredible balance to all the election hype and hollering! If we could all learn to stop, breathe, and look at those around us with the eyes of the Father’s heart we would all learn to “see the obvious.” Thanks Sue.
October 25th, 2008 @ 7:24 am
WOW. Today’s meditation “Meeting Christ in the Church” (10/25)was another powerful Nouwen observation and teaching for our lives in community.
Two challenges for me - “to love them as we want to love Christ himself. This is true not only for the “little” people - the poor, the oppressed, the forgotten - but also for the “big” people who exercise authority in the Church. To love the Church means to be willing to meet Jesus wherever we go in the Church.” and “it can call us to confront those who hide Christ from us”
I have often had a reactionary rather than responsive stance when I’ve encountered people in the church who “hide Christ” behind their own self-centeredness, power needs or simple unconscious incompetence in their spiritual life. I have not looked at situations in the church as an opportunity to respond. Being self-centered, I’ve looked at them and reacted self-centeredly.
I have been laxed in looking at the church as an opportunity to love Christ by loving ALL the people in the church, including those who hide Christ from me. My attitude, thoughts and actions can “hide Christ from them” with a judgmental nature, conditional love or my personal unwillingness or hesitation to extend myself sacrificially to them in love. To be Jesus to them. Today’s reflection is more than a morsel of bread for the journey - it is a loaf.
October 24th, 2008 @ 3:46 pm
Reading the devotional thought on the church the whole concept of “the body of Christ” comes to mind. We are not our own nor is the church our own. It is the body of Christ and we are part of His body. What a remarkable opportunity and priviledge to be part of Him even as we at times drag our ownselves into the mix. Forgiveness and grace is needed by all and His love is the everlasting glue that holds us together from generation to generation.
October 24th, 2008 @ 5:57 am
I appreciate the way Nouwen is able to focus on basic, core issues. The current thread of topics dealing with the church - especially yesterday “Being in the Church and not of it” and today’s “Loving the Church” are like a vitamin pill. Obviously one cannot live on vitamin pills alone but they augment our daily diets and give us something we need. I need to be reminded that I am “in” not “of” the Church; I am part of a vast, universal body of called out ones that spans 2000 years; I am called to love this body, the bride of Christ, because Christ does. It’s really incongruous to claim a love for Jesus and not love the church. Thank you all who read, blog and contribute to these reflections. This communication in this community is a regular inspiration to help me focus and assimilate the “Bread for the Journey”.
October 22nd, 2008 @ 7:53 am
What happens to us invites us to conversion. Thanks Jack for sharing that quote. I know I am the newbee here but I have been so encouraged as I’ve read what folks have posted. I am new to reading Henri Nouwen . I am a huge fan of Christ-like thinkers like him, Lewis, John Stott, George Mc Donald, Wilberforce, Tolkien etc etc.. This summer I worked in Rwanda with an amazing organization called African Evangelistic Enterprise or as it’s also known, African Enterprise founded by a South African called Michael Cassidy close to 40 years ago. I experienced Christian fellowship there unlike anything I have ever experienced and as a result have a commitment to work 6 months a year in the States and six months with African Evangelistic Enterprise Rwanda in their program for Street Children called Centre For Champions. I have had so many experiences lately that challenge my conception of what is and isn’t the church. It is entirely possible I think to meet in what is thought of as a church building and NOT be there CHURCH while meeting in settings such as this and BE the Church. I agree: we ARE the CHURCH..
All the best
Jodie
October 22nd, 2008 @ 6:56 am
Wow- these past few comments are wonderful, I debated on whether or not to post but your comments make it easy to express my views. I have left the official church but consider myself Catholic ( universal ) For a long time I’ve felt unable to say the prayers of the “church” because I no longer believe its dogmas/teaching. I go back to the scripture and in particular the Gospels and find there a Jesus who constantly challanged the leaders of the Jews to put aside their rigid adherence to rules and regulations in favor of mercy and justice. He reiterated the messages of the prophets. He said that in acting out of love and compassion for all of creation, we will find the Kingdom–not out there somewhere but within ourselves and in others. I don’t go to the “Church” these days but I do find church in “House Chuch ” worship with a group of friends, in a bible study which is open to everyone’s view ( not just the official teaching ), in an eccumenical social justice group that I belong to, and in my place of work. In this respect I see that church is the representative of God on earth. However I do not accept the official church as having a monopoly on who or what God is or on who or what God wants. I must find that for myself. The Kingdom is near. It is within, but it is a day by struggle to find it.
October 22nd, 2008 @ 4:54 am
What a terrific weekly reflection, what a wise and balanced person Daniel Cho is and thus makes a wonderful minister…I admire the manner in which he describes anger and rather than repress it he uses the force positively, rather than destructively. Not only does he do this but explains the process so well. Oh to have such a teacher/minister
October 21st, 2008 @ 9:18 am
I appreciate the examples of the positive and challenging aspects of community that have been shared here. I faithfully attend a parish in my hometown with my family, and this is my faith community in the conventional sense. But I thought I would share with you an experience recently that made me think of my faith community in a different, more universal way.
I had one of those moments in nature in recent weeks as I had the opportunity to watch a sunrise with my family from the coast of Maine. It was the first time that I had ever seen an ocean sunrise. If you have never witnessed one, the experience for me really “took it up a notch” spiritually from any other sunrise that I can recall. For one, as I looked around, I was surprised at the large group of people that had gathered along the beach at 6:53am, to observe something that happens every day.
The moment that the sun emerged above the distant ocean horizon was more breathtaking than I could have anticipated. Not only was there a collective expression and feeling of awe among the human observers, at the instant that the sun broke the horizon, many of the seagulls that had been resting along the beach sprang from the ground and took flight. This further heightened the feeling of oneness with the environment, people, and creatures around us.
I was reminded of this event this past Sunday as I heard the first reading of the day, Isaiah 45:1, 4-6. “…so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun people may know that there is none besides me. I am the Lord, there is no other.”
In that moment of illumination on the beach, it mattered not what religious persuasion or denomination we were arriving from. We had all been called for one reason or another to that place and time. I can’t imagine that any of us present were not spiritually awakened by that experience. In that moment this was my faith community.
Peace to you my brothers and sisters.
October 21st, 2008 @ 5:51 am
With respect to community and church: I have been very blessed in that all three parishes of which I have been a member (two in Ohio and one in Florida) have been outstanding communities. The one of which I am currently a member in particular, despite its 12,000 or so members, gives me a warm, loving feeling whenever I am with members, especially when we worship. Have there ever been difficulites, friction–even open hositilies–between its members? Certainly, for though we strive for sainthood, we succumb to flesh and devil and secularly world values. Still, through forgiveness we heal and become stronger. I suggest two things: die to self and love those whom you do not like; if that fails, search for another community.
October 20th, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
Jack–thanks so much for your comment about this community being the church. I was hoping someone would point this out. My experiences with church organizations has been traumatic to say the least.
I am still attending a church service but am miserable most of the time. Recently a Christian counselor that I am seeing suggested that I just stop going. The rigid doctrine and intensive bible study is simply not doing it for me! I struggle with the whole concept of ‘community’ that Henri so often speaks about.
Last night I attended a prayer labyrinth event at a church I had never been to before. It was such a spirit-filled time and the other people walking the labyrinth were strangers to me. But I deeply felt a sense of community with all of them as we walked and prayed silently. What a reminder, along with your reflection, that God brings his people (church) together in some “unconventional” ways. He is not limited to the 4 walls of a church building.
Peace
Diane
October 19th, 2008 @ 12:51 pm
Jodie’s post and church situation is unfortunately not that uncommon. On another Christian site which asks people to share their faith journey, I shared that I had attended a church for 7 years and the pastor hadn’t spoken to me for 2 ½ years because I wasn’t a puppet. Over 75% of the responses were from people who had also had negative experiences with an organized church.
I’d like to encourage Jodie with my favorite Nouwen quote “Jesus does not give a political interpretation of the event (i.e. Luke 13) but a spiritual one. “What happened invites you to conversion”. This is the deepest meaning of history: a constant invitation calling us to turn our hearts to God and so discover the full meaning of our lives. ( Here And Now page 73)
From my experience in the organized church, I learned (1) the faithfulness of God (2) the difference between head knowledge (theology taught in the cemetaries) and heart knowledge, the walk in faith (3) the church has being truly an organism, not brick-n-mortar, demonination, hierarchial organization. The catholic church is universal and made of up you and me. It is an assembly of “called-out” ones and meets in 2s and 3s in various locations together. And remember, we capitalize Internet because it is a definite place. This blog is church. It is a way of blessing and being blessed and of uniting together as the bride of Christ to encourage one another and share the good news with those who need to be “called out”. We ARE the church!
October 18th, 2008 @ 8:29 am
“Often it seems harder to believe in the Church than to believe in God. But whenever we separate our belief in God from our belief in the Church, we become unbelievers. God has given us the Church as the place where God becomes God-with-us.”
I have never thought of it this way. I am quite often “guilty” of seperating myself as a believer from “belief” in the church. Most recently I revoked my membership at a historically black church because of behavior amongst the leadership that should not be taking place but has never been addressed because it is not obviouisly sinful despite the damage it is doing to the non black members of the church. Until just now I never stopped to think about the connection about our life as believers with our belief in the church in such a powerful way. While I will not go back to the church I left after three long painful years it gives me a new perspective as I look for a new church home
October 17th, 2008 @ 5:07 am
Re Paul Clement Czaja’s previous comment (557)
How beautifully expressed and how thought provoking.
If we could all bring to each day and all we meet this Love the world would be sanctified.
October 16th, 2008 @ 6:32 am
Sometimes I appreciate Nouwen for the depth of this thinking and the challenge. Today, I appreciate Nouwen sharing something simple that I have never heard before: the definition of “church” from the Greek meaning to call out. (If this forum were set up to conduct a poll, I’d love to ask “how many of your have ever before heard this definition of church?”)Granted I’m not the swiftest deer in the forest and have slept through more sermons than Rip Van Winkle, but this was a new, insightful, meaningful reflection.
October 14th, 2008 @ 8:18 am
I often don’t have much time to visit this site much or read all of the daily reflections. The past few weeks though, I’ve liked the daily reflections so much, I make sure to read all of them, even if it is a few days before I get into my email to do so.
Growing up Protestant, I didn’t get exposed to hardly any kind of rituals. I’m starting to appreciate rituals, specifically sacraments. I think some theology just goes beyond what we can comprehend and sometimes words have a way of ruining something- kind of like if you had a great date, you click w/ someone but overtalking it would ruin the evening. Baptism, the Eucharist, Marriage- these are things I’m realizing I can find God through and connect w/ Him through in a similar way.
October 7th, 2008 @ 8:05 am
MAY I SO LIVE THE LIFE OF LOVE THIS DAY
THAT ALL THOSE WITH WHOM
I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO AT ALL
MAY BE AS CONVINCED THAT
LOVE IS IN THIS WORLD
AS THEY ARE OF THE SUNLIGHT AND RAIN.
October 6th, 2008 @ 7:04 am
Today’s reflection Jesus Living Within Us through communion is a great follow-up to yesterday’s reflection on the walk to Emmaus. Once again Nouwen makes a profound observation out of a simple act that has unfortunately often become rote. “It is the Christ in us who reveals to us the Christ in history.” Sadly, the church I attend celebrates an historical communion, not an empowering communion that it IS the Christ IN US that reveals to us the Christ in history and makes us true witness because of Christ in us to the world.
October 6th, 2008 @ 4:58 am
We project our inner reality, the truth of ourselves, onto the person of Jesus. When the Christ of Jesus is recognised to be ourselves also (which he took desperate measures to demonstrate and is so clearly described by Henri’s explanation of the disciples at Emmaus)we realize the still calm centre, peace, and power that Jesus was is actually a reflection of our hidden nature - that of God.
October 5th, 2008 @ 8:34 pm
What a striking commentary on Jesus’ disappearing from the disciples at Emmaus! Few people have reflected on this part of the story [most likely]. But how like Jesus to not linger after making his point; how like these disciples we can be, knowing Jesus’presence and living in him! Thank you.
October 3rd, 2008 @ 7:11 am
As I read today’s reflection on a place of vulnerability at the communion table, I thought of the vulnerability of the act of “ingesting” Jesus. Our church, unfortunately, practices “historical” remembrance, i.e. Jesus died for sin. It doesn’t emphasize “relational” remembrance: the relational act of becoming like Jesus through communion and loving, sacrificing and sharing - as Jesus did. I’m appreciating the blessing of Nouwen’s awareness of the vulnerability in the Euchrist and our vertical relationship with God and horizontal relationship with each other.
October 1st, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
On the Journey to Becoming Fully Human was a wonderful reflection. I have just come to know
Henri Nouwen’s books - any suggestions for reading, regarding visits to the sick & hospitalized?
September 26th, 2008 @ 9:48 am
Alan, Ryan and others …the following is one of Jesus’ great followers prayers - a Canticle
`Oneness with Nature.
Praise be to you, my Lord, with ALL
your creatures,
Especially to my worshipful brother
sun,
Who lights up the day, and through
him do you give brightness;
And beautiful is he and radiant with
great splendor;
Most High, he represents you to us.
Praised be my Lord for sister moon
and for the stars,
In heaven you have formed them
clear amd precious and fair.
Praised by my Lord for brother wind
And for the air and clouds and fair
and EVERY KIND of weather,
By whom you give to your creatures
nourishment.
Praised be my Lord for sister water,
Who is greatly helpful and humble
and precious and pure…..
Praised be my Lord for our sister,
mother earth.
Who sustains and keeps us
And brings forth diverse fruits with
grass and flowers bright.
From `Canticle of the Sun’ by
Our own Saint Francis of Assisi…
Have you read Henri’s book `Can you drink the cup?’ which reveals Henri’s journey from a wealthy, elite type of Catholic Priest/ministry to a more `lowly’ inclusive life in ministering to, and living among and in community with, the intellectually and mentally handicapped and sometimes also those with severe physical handicaps as well. By ministering I mean caring for them, washing and feeding them, etc. Henri even traded down his vessels used at Mass to the more ordinary wood and pottery from jewelled chalice….what a lovely metaphoric image this creates for me.
I have a son with an moderate intellectual disability, my firstborn, now in his mid thirties, so when over 10 years ago I read Henri’s book (above) I was overcome by him and his wonderful and Godly approach.
I can tell you my son does not understand one iota of the intellectual fabric or teachings of Christianity, but I know my son will be first among those in heaven for he wears his disabilities with humility and joy.
He is far ahead of me spiritually, and most `normal’ people spiritually. I struggle with this life and being his mother….it is not that I can’t cope with the physical load but due to the conversational barrier, and lack of intellectual connection (no barrier to a spiritual connection though)…. between those with rational intelligence and those like my son who lack it. I suffer due to this disconnection.
But it is said…`The first (on earth) will be last (in heaven) and the last, first’….read the beatitudes in your bible for the rest.
So I daresay those who are broken and can still bear love and goodwill to ALL men throughout God’s diverse creation (see Francis of Assisi’s canticle above where he lists God’s creatures - even the elements and the sun, stars and moon) will find the path God intends to use to lead us into eternity with Him and through Jesus’ sacrifical death for us, as you remind us Ryan.
God does things in His time, not ours..eternal time. We know but little - we see `but through a glass darkly’ - and are presumptuous to claim to be judge of things only our God can Judge in His omnipotence.
God our Father with Jesus at His right side is Judge of us, not us, let’s leave God judge our fellows.
Let us love another, for `Love does not insist on its own way’..from 1 Corinthians
…We are instructed to `Love our neighbour as we would(should) love ourselves’. 2nd Commandment
Certainly Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, Ryan…for humanity’s sins…lest we forget.
I think, perhaps, we could reflect longer before being too lofty, presumptuous and judgemental.
I greatly appreciate the inclusiveness of the recent postings, thank you enlightened souls. Exclusivity leads to many boundaries, barriers and strife. I have been excluded due to mothering, loving, rearing and caring for over 3 and a half decades for the son I bore and from this position it is not pleasant (to be excluded).
`Love is patient and Kind
Love is not jealous or boastful
It is not arrogant or rude
Love does not insist on its own way
It is not irritable or resentful
It does not rejoice at wrong
but rejoices in the right
Love bears all things
Believes all things
Hopes all things
Endures all things.
1 Corinthians 1-7
September 25th, 2008 @ 8:53 am
Baptism. New life from death. I think of baptism like this…that in the most unlikely places God brings forth life…a cactus flower the dry of the desert, the daisy that emerges from the crack of a sidewalk, or a pinyon pine growing out of a rock on the side of a mountain. This life is mysteriously even more alive in the contrast…that’s how I think of baptism. In the world, but not of it, a splash of beauty and hope in and amongst lifelessness. That’s what baptism means to me. Am I ready for the challenge? to die to the old and live in the hope and promise of the new? I am a Christian, but this idea stretches my faith to a new level…it’s only through Him that this promise exists.
September 25th, 2008 @ 7:05 am
I don’t practice the Catholic faith, anymore. I grew up in an alcoholic family, and the years of “exclusivity” teachings enhanced the feelings of being “less than” that are universal to children of alcoholic parents. When God passed out the rules for living, I was somehow absent. The description of the “Good Thief” and his recognition of God in the Man dying on the cross next to him is a phenomenon that frequently happens in Twelve Step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. In that non-organization where the only requirement to belong is a desire to quit drinking, the search for the face of God in the face of each other, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, or even Atheist, is what provides the healing from the “less than”. I am broken just as you are broken just as they are broken. It seems to me that the three way spiritual journey, inward, outward, and upward to find God is accomplished this way.
September 24th, 2008 @ 10:39 am
Should a Chapel become a place for Christians, Muslims and others to pray together, each to their own god? Christians reaching out to Muslims in love and communcation is a good thing. To bring them into a chapel, looking at the cross that Christ died upon, and then pray to Mohammed and deny Christ, is simply not acceptable.
Henri Nouwen’s writings have been great inspiration to me, my small group, and my family. It is clear that Henri Nouwen loved our Lord Christ Jesus and believed him to be the truth, life and way to the Father. The foundation that bears his name would be wise to remember that.
patrick
September 24th, 2008 @ 8:05 am
In agreement with some of those who’ve posted above, I’m going to have to depart with the writers of recent reflections that claim a journey “toward accepting other faiths.”
To recognize that there are inherent, necessarily God-ordained truths in all faiths is good practice. To recognize the inherent worth and dignity of all peoples, regardless of faith, is also good practice.
But to claim that all roads lead to one path is severely doctrinally flawed. It’s precisely this line of thinking that vexes the Western church, and to some degree, the universal church. I was attending a large Episcopal church in Nashville, TN, and found myself just as dismayed by the utter lack of doctrinal teaching there as I did the utter “doctrine-only” practices I’ve experienced in many fundamentalist Baptist churches.
I knew it was time for me to move on from the Episcopal church when a woman who lead the outreach to the Muslim community told me, “We believe the same as they do anyhow…” Happening to have a Bachelor of Science in Religion and having studied numerous faiths, I know this could not be more false. Orthodox Christianty and Islam are mutually exclusive, sorry. I’m not saying there are no common elements; they did, after all, originate from the exact same region of the world. But to say “we believe the same as they do anyhow” is tremendous folly.
I believe “doctrinelessness” and “doctrine-onlyness” are both mechanisms used to control and mislead people, and ultimately, to twist and contort faith in Christ. The former is used to stir up false acceptance and tolerance, under the guise of, “we’re not that different, anyhow! Our differences don’t matter!” The latter is used to produce a false sense of salvation, and false separation and superiority, under the guise of intellectual assent and superficial attempts to be “in the world but not of it.”
I am a Henri Nouwen fanatic. I have had pictures of him hanging from my office. I’ve read tons of his books. I have sought out his students and people who knew him personally. I have started regional groups to study his writings. But he was a human, fallible man, just as am I. Christ was the atoning sacrifice for sin. There was, and will be, no other.
September 24th, 2008 @ 5:10 am
Re: On the Journey to Accepting Other Faiths
I have been receiving the daily and weekly reflections from this society for about a year, and I am often moved by what I read. I have been moved in a different way, however, by the two weekly reflections on accepting other faiths I have read in the past two weeks. I am no expert on Henri Nouwen, but I do know he was an evangelical Catholic who regularly spoke of faith in Jesus Christ as the exclusive way to salvation. I do not think he would have approved of the weekly reflections on accepting other faiths, nor do I. I love, honor and respect people of other faiths. But I must agree with Theresa Froehlich in that an essential element of Christianity is the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the only path to salvation. Any other viewpoint is not Christianity but Universalism. Editors, please consider that the Henri Nouwen Society is distinctly Christian and carefully choose items you send out which reflect that character and do not undermine it.
September 24th, 2008 @ 4:56 am
This week’s reflection on the journey to accepting other faiths…exquisite, like a piece of art that is almost visual. Not only a beautifully crafted piece of writing but spiritually perfect in directing us to peaceful existence of body and soul.
September 21st, 2008 @ 3:32 pm
John, Perhaps “staunch” was not the correct word. I no longer attend the United Church. And I believe that there are three Roman Catholic Churches in Richmond Hill, if you count the one in Oakridges.
September 18th, 2008 @ 9:05 pm
Reply to Theresa 17/9/2008
I don’t believe we should take our Christian understanding of the word of God too literally as we in our limited grasp see it and condemn others…this is not our role as Christians.
Dying on the cross Jesus welcomed a `believing’ thief -obviously a rebel of some sort, but probably a jew and an outcast, who may have stolen to survive (literally - to eat or feed his children) and the authorities of the day, executed him to send a message. i.e. the thief was not tried holistically on his character but merely by the fact he had stolen…we don’t know if he had a `hard’ heart, but the odds are against him having a totally hard heart because if his `heart’ was so hard, so corrupted, then how would he recognise Jesus as his Lord? Especially while dying so excruciatingly. When I’m in great pain my faith is tested!
Similarly, Jesus the son of God and the Son of Man was executed by the authorities to set an example for those who would try to challenge their authority - Jewish and Roman. We Christians also believe Jesus died to offer us, the entire human race, salvation.
It thus appears the thief/outcast had not followed Jesus, nor the entire Jewish belief system previously. He probably `knew’ little, was unread…most except the elites could not read or write…hence the numerous `scribes’ whose job came due to most being illiterate and requiring scribes services.
What Jesus saw in this man was something at his/the thief’s core which was wholesome and thus said He’d see him in paradise. Of course the thief was able to grasp whilst dying he was in God’s presence. This is the miracle which is held up for us to view…that whilst in unbelievable pain, the thief recognised his Lord, the Lord of eternity.
The thief `saw’ Jesus for what He was…God in Man. The thief therefore grasped `sheer and pure goodness’ in an instant. He did not come from any `learned’ and reflected upon tradition, be it Catholic, Protestant Christianity, nor probably understood much about his Jewishness,if any except there were myriads of rules and regulations which he probably could never meet, but from faith..a momentary insight. I don’t believe if he were `evil’ at heart the thief would recognise Jesus, for the Godhead.
Therefore while being a Christian(strive to be amidst my sorrows, trials and tribulations…and doubts, etc) and accept Jesus as my Lord, and the trinity as I received in my faith teaching, I see God as a Spirit of infinite wisdom - the Creator knows His own. We Christians (those of us or those from any other faith) who have at our `core’ what Jesus saw in the thief I believe undoubtedly somehow inherit the Paradise Jesus spoke of with the thief. I don’t claim to `know’ `the why’s and the wherefores’…but there is something about a person with a core where there is not total corruption, be they Christian or other. `Judge not lest thou be judged’!
For myself I don’t believe we should set ourselves as judges as we cannot see the `whole’ picture as God does. God is not only the ultimate judge but God possesses a `total’ view of each and every human being(after all He created us! creation from what I can see out my window continues…), God sees what the person `stands for’, where they `come from’…understands the limits of their conceptual grasp etc, etc. God knows whether or not they’ve been truly exposed to the Word…no I don’t mean learning some bible bits or catechism `off by heart’, or from self- interpreting, but learing and reflecting `in the Spirit’ the Good that is God and so striving to act (and failing due to being human). The person may have been so brow beaten and lived so hard a life, he had no time for learning and thus little insight, but if at his core, there is cultivated some good…then from where I view it God knows.
Let us not judge. Let us not loftily dismiss others who may appear `less’ being lowly economically or socially,and be little biblically versed, etc or hail from another faith, etc…Jesus was a radical God/Man of infinite love for the down trodden. He did not hold the same views for the elite! (who should have known better and had wealth to live an `easy’ life and therefore should have acted with charity…but hardened their hearts).
From the core of my soul and being I believe we need to be very careful as humans (with all the frailities of our humanity each and every one of us) and not set ourselves up as judges of another person, or faith tradition.
As Jesus eloquently said to those who would stone the sinful woman `those of you who have not sinned, cast the first stone’. From memory the woman was spared. None of us is guilt free, it is for God to see into our hearts and find what lies within and whether we strive for `good’ or `evil’ and decide…not us.
In my infinite lack of knowledge I see God alone will discern the (ultimate/core) fabric of each and every one of us, despite our `creed’. Having said that I accept Jesus as my only Lord, but my acceptance does not place me in a position to judge others. I believe Jesus is all good, and I believe He lights the way to everlasting life, but I don’t believe or even begin to believe I know much else.
September 18th, 2008 @ 9:06 am
I’d like to respond to the post by Bernadette Harris on September 16th about the phrase the “end times are already here.” and her question, ” What exactly does Nouwen mean by saying we are in the end times?” I will definitely not presume to know the depth of the mind of Henri Nouwen but let me share my thoughts.
There are 4 stages of history: (1) Paradise - the eternal state of God before the history of mankind, the creation of the universe, the creation of the Garden of Eden, of man and everything up to the Fall; (2) Paradise Lost - that stage of history from the Fall until the death and resurrection of Christ who restored our broken relationship with God through his attonement. Jesus ushered in a new era of reconciliation and relationship with God.Stage 3 - Journey Back to Paradise: The last days. Jesus promised that He came to bring life and that more abundantly; I believe He was speaking timelessly to everyone when He proclaimed that some of those who would hear His words would not taste death but see Him return in Glory. And, after these last days of the fallen world, Stage 4 is Paradise Regained - eternity.
So, Bernedette, I believe that these “last days” from the days of Nero in the 1st century to the present day, days of trials, tribulations and frightening events. They are however, also an opportunity for me to share once again my favority Nouwen quote based on Luke 13
“Jesus does not give a political interpretation of the event but a spiritual one. “What happened invites you to conversion”. This is the deepest meaning of history: a constant invitation calling us to turn our hearts to God and so discover the full meaning of our lives. ( Here And Now page 73)
September 18th, 2008 @ 6:03 am
“Living in a State of Preparedness”, Bread for the Journey, Henri J.M. Nouwen
Today’s reflection reminds that when a new path presents itself, principalities and powers can step in to distract me during my period of discernment of God’s will. These distractions come in the form of worries about family members and other matters (none over which I have any control). I pray each day to live into God’s will for me. I pray to set aside these distractions. The job of God is taken!
September 18th, 2008 @ 5:45 am
Aa a cradle Catholic and the product of 12 years of Catholic education, I can assure you that I was taught by nuns and priests (especially after Vatican II) that all people who follow their conscience, love God and love their neighbor are eligible for citizenship in heaven–even those who do not believe in Jesus. This seems at odds with the scriptural quotation that you have given, Stephen, but much of the Bible can seem self-contradictory if you match one tidbit against another. I try and reflect on biblical themes as part of the large tapestry of salvation. Jesus was generous in his love, even with non-Jews. I try (often unsuccessfully) to imitate that.
September 17th, 2008 @ 11:38 pm
Weekly Reflection: Accepting Other Faiths
by Rita O’Connor
Which of the following is Rita O’Connor suggesting:
That we should learn about other religions?
That we should be kind to and respectful of people belonging to other religions?
That we must not believe that the Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life as he claims in John 14:6?
That all roads lead to heaven and it doesn’t matter which faith one belongs to?
If Rita is suggesting the first two, I wholeheartedly agree with her. But if she is suggesting the last two, then she disqualifies herself as a Christian and a Roman Catholic. If she believes that Jesus is not the Truth (with a capital T) and that all roads lead to heaven, she is a universalist.
September 17th, 2008 @ 11:49 am
Re: On The Journey To Accept Other Faiths
It is good to listen to others faiths and belief. To better understand where they are coming from. To also be able to share in their journey to their beliefs. Is it not also important to share the truth as Jesus did when with everyone he encountered - even though He went against the religious leaders of the day. He spoke the truth in love - the truth that - to use his words - “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me.” It was his desire that all man have a relationship with His Father and that it was only through the Son. Yes, It is important for us to listen - and there is some truth in all religions - “all truth is God’s truth”, but should we not also share in a loving way the truth of God’s love to us through His Son. How else are we to interpret “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me.”
September 17th, 2008 @ 7:50 am
I’m confused….. if Rita O’Conner is a
“staunch Roman Catholic”, how is it she attends a United Church?? Last time I checked, there are
RC churches in Richmond Hill.
September 16th, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Today’s meditation mentions that the “end times are already here.” This is the second mention of us being in the end times by Henri Nouwen recently. As a Catholic, I don’t usually worry about the end time but with recent disasters in the natural world and the financial world it gave me a little chill to read it here. What exactly does Nouwen mean by saying we are in the end times?
September 14th, 2008 @ 5:43 am
I am reminded of the story about St. Francis of Assisi: whle hoeing his garden one day, a young follower asked Francis what would he do if he absolutely knew that Christ was returning to earth that day. Francis stopped a moment, kindly looked the novitiate in the eye and said: “I would continue hoeing my garden.”
The trick, it seems, is to engage with the world while not being swallowed up by it. Love life, nature and your fellow human beings, without forgetting that your time here is passing and eternity awaits us.
Do not give up your humanity, but try and transform it into something more like Jesus’ way of living.
September 14th, 2008 @ 5:34 am
I like so much being reminded that remaining faithful is our command from Jesus. I so want to feed each hungry soul, house each homeless person, and hold each abandon and rejected precious person.
The suffering is so great for so many yet the joy seems greater than the suffering in the eyes of these precious ones.
Thank you all again for another truth from God’s own Word Henri reminds us of “remaining faithful.” Now I will include this in my prayers.
September 11th, 2008 @ 1:43 am
I have been blest to receive Henri’s meditations and weekly reflection this year. The past week’s theme has been for me, spectacular really fits my spiritual quest. I relate to the graciousness of this past week’s messages…from about 8 days back.
Came to this talk back to find other comments? Any out there?
September 1st, 2008 @ 12:19 pm
Re: A Choice Calling for Discipline
The necessity to choose life was for me an important reminder. All too often I tend to brood on negative thoughts. I need to know that Jesus came to bring life to me, not death. Even though we may long to be united with Christ our life on earth is perhaps that necessary school learning to come to Him.
August 31st, 2008 @ 11:07 am
Re: A Choice Calling for Discipline
LIFE in its ENTIRETY ELECTION TIME IS HERE and “LIFE” is used as a WEDGE issue to divide us instead of UNITING US INTO ONE BODY.
Nouwen here brings the idea of LIFE, not merely as the uniting of a sperm and an egg, or a biological process……..Nouwen brings LIFE into our MINDS, the KINGDOM within……yes, even though we believe that life begins at conception, many of us do harbor a CULTURE OF DEATH within our own minds.
In Christ,
Andrew_John,Fisher of Men
August 31st, 2008 @ 10:29 am
Re: A Choice Calling for Discipline
Let us not only choose life, but also love. We should turn our lives into examples of love in action: non-judgemental, accepting and forgiving.
This is a great challenge for me.
How about you?
August 31st, 2008 @ 6:38 am
There were 2 things about today’s meditation that spoke to me. One was about the discipline to choose life over death. Yesterday, I was struggling with “death” thoughts (not physical suicide) but those unproductive negative thoughts of fear, failure, lack of purposefullness. And today’s meditation speaks to the discipline of choosing life and blessing. It is a death - dying to self and becoming alive to righteous living in Christ. I also appreciated the reference to a “loving community to support us.” Important because my immediate church community hasn’t grown to the level of understanding that attitudes are life or death but there is a community here on-line that shares, cares and encourages. To me, this is that supportive community to help me choose. Choose life. Thank you all.
August 28th, 2008 @ 11:14 am
Re: Being Ready to Die, August 27
Henri rings so true. Having been blessed to walk with many as they near death, I do know we never really know when it will come. Always try to say goodbye to others with things resolved as best you can. One may think he or she has another day but we just dont know that for sure….
Judith
August 27th, 2008 @ 10:08 pm
Re: Joe Vorstermans On the Journey Toward Being an Authentic Minister, August 27, 2008
Joe, as a member of the Daybreak community in the past, I have heard many of your homilies, but missed that one. As a preacher myself, I was always impressed by the authenticity and occasional audacity of your words. However, this choice of silence would have to be the most audacious homily of all. As a sermon-junkie, I know I’d have felt shocked and perhaps cheated had I been there, yet I know that I’ll be thinking about this story for a very long time. I think it was Samuel Becket who said, “words are all we have”. But it’s not true, is it?
Peace, Joe.
Alan
August 15th, 2008 @ 2:07 pm
Re: Trusting in the Fruits, August 11, 2008
What I took is the long view and beautiful message that at times the fruit of our work is not readily or immediately apparent. I shared Henri Nouwen’s words to someone who fired off a rebuttal:
“Jesus died on the cross as a fulfillment of the scriptures and not as a failure on a cross. And His very last word was ‘It is finished’ meaning that he defeated His adversary so we can freely approach God the Father. See John 19:30.
Discernment is also vital for spiritual growth. We must train our consciences, our senses, our minds, and our bodies to distinguish good from evil. Hebrew 5:11-14. And when we plant seeds and it falls on fertile soil, we will be able to see the fruit it bears and if it does fall on hard/rocky ground, the seeds wither because they have not root. Matthew 13:3-8.”
I can understand how just the narrow statement, “Christ