Walk With Jesus
Stations of the Cross
Inspired by the drawings of Sister Helen David, Henri Nouwen sees in these images the ongoing passion of Christ in our world today. Stark and moving, her drawings–of an abandoned child, of a political prisoner behind bars, a peasant burdened by a load of firewood, a mother grieving for her murdered son–still do not lead us to despair. Rather, as Nouwen notes, they “help us unite our own broken humanity with the humanity of the men, women, and children portrayed . . . . This union become possibly through the suffering and risen body of Jesus. In and through Jesus, our world can become one because in this divine love he embraces all of us, and desires that we all be one, as he and his father are one.”
More About this Book
This book was written in 1989 while Henri Nouwen was in the hospital recovering from an accident. It was written in response to paintings depicting the fifteen Stations of the Cross by artist and illustrator Sr. Helen David Brancato, IHM. Each painting is an image drawn from the experience of the world’s poor. Nouwen writes a short reflection for each painting tying the evocative imagery to Jesus’ passion and resurrection and to his own journey with suffering, loneliness and hope. He helps connect the reader with the truth of being a Christian: that intimacy with Jesus must be accompanied by solidarity with a wounded world. A new 25th anniversary edition was printed in 2005 by Orbis Books with a publisher’s note by Robert Ellsberg.
Orbis, 1990
Excerpts:
“As long as I agonize over the pain of others far away but cannot carry the pain that is uniquely mine, I may become an activist, even a defender of humanity, not yet a follower of Jesus. Somehow my bond with those who suffer oppression is made real through my willingness to suffer my loneliness. It is a burden I try to avoid, sometimes, by worrying about others. But Jesus says: “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will you rest. (Matt. 11:28) (p.16-17)
“The abandoned children of the world are in me. Jesus tells me not to be afraid, to face them in my heart and suffer with them. He wants me to discover that beyond all emotions of rejection and abandonment there is love, real love, lasting love, love that comes from God who became flesh and who will never leave his children alone.”(p.23)
“To receive help, support, guidance, affection, and care may well be a greater call than that of giving all these things because in receiving I reveal the gift to the givers and a new life together can begin.” (p.35)
“Whatever we do or do not do in our lives, we need to always remain connected with the rest of the Holy Saturday when Jesus lay buried in the tomb and the whole of creation waited for all things to be made new.” (p.89)
Themes: Lent, Stations of the Cross, Jesus, Darkness, Suffering, The Risen Lord, The poor, Walking, Solidarity, The outsider, Spiritual freedom, From fear to love, The cross, Children, Being the Beloved, Inner child, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Forgiveness, Mary, Competition, Busyness, Spiritual maturity, Despair, Hope, Mourning, Weeping, Hands, Aging, Humility, Vulnerability, Downward mobility/the downward way, Poverty, Dying, Powers of death, Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, Jean Donovan, and Dorothy Kazel murdered in El Salvador, To love, Choice, Silence and Solitude, Resting, Resurrection, A prayer to Jesus
Reviews for "Walk With Jesus"
"Stations of the cross like you may have never considered. Great illustrations as well." -Gidget
"Nouwen is a healer whose words and touch go deep. Highly recommend this a reflective text for re-centering in one's Christian call." -Claire
"This is a book I would read over and over...a timeless and simple moving classic." -Ryan