« garden variety | Main | pitchers of coffee »
July 13, 2005
a gentle voice
 |
I am reading Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J.M. Nouwen. My father loaned it to me last Saturday. I've only read the prologue and the first chapter, but I'm finding it to be evocative and comforting. For instance:
Yes, there is that voice, the voice that speaks from above and from within and that whispers softly or declares loudly: "You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests." It certainly is not easy to hear that voice in a world filled with voices that shout: "You are no good, you are ugly; you are worthless; you are despicable, you are nobody --unless you can demostrate the opposite." [That] is the trap of self-rejection.
That soft, gentle voice that calls me the Beloved has come to me in countless ways. My parents, friends, teachers, students, and the many strangers who crossed my path have all sounded that voice in different tones. I have been cared for by many people with much tenderness and gentleness. I have been taught and instructed with much patience and perseverence. I have been encouraged to keep going when I was ready to give up and was stimulated to try again when I failed. I have been rewarded and praised for success...but, somehow, all of these signs of love were not sufficient to convince me that I was the Beloved. Beneath all my seemingly strong self-confidence there remained the question: "If all those who shower me with so much attention could see me and know me in my innermost self, would they still love me?" That agonizing question, rooted in my inner shadow, kept persecuting me and made me run away from the very place where that quiet voice calling me the Beloved could be heard.
 |
Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World By Henri Nouwen / Crossroad Publishing Co. (PUBCrossroad)Written in response to a friend who wanted spirituality explained to secular people, Nouwen follows the pattern of communion: "Taken," "Blessed," "Broken," and "Given" to spell out God's love. From one of the most popular modern spiritual writers, widely admired for his authenticity. 160 pages, softcover. |
Posted by joel at July 13, 2005 01:10 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.chezjoel.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/329
Comments
i am taking your post to be a recommendation of Frere Henri's book. i add that i recently finished my first book by Frere Henri - "Can You Drink The Cup?" i found it to be evocative, but initially not comforting ... kind of like a good sermon should do: "Comfort the afflicted, and afflict to comfortable." it made me very introspective in very specific guided ways. and now that i've gone through it a second time, i heartily recommend it to you. Frere Henri J M Nouwen has much to share. Can you drink the cup?
Posted by: uncle jim ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.chezjoel.com//nav-commenters.gif)
at July 13, 2005 07:36 PM
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)
