1 post tagged “nouwen”
Recently I finished this book by Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche Communities and the one partly responsible for Henri Nouwen's decision to leave Harvard and simplify his life--the impulse which produced the inspiration for much of his writings.
This little book (it is only sixty pages) has some powerful, if mystical, challenges to the contemporary mode of living out the Christian faith. Vanier writes with the simplicity of Brother Lawrence, and the conviction of Rich Mullins. It is a Catholic book in the sense that it moves in that style of devotional literature.
But it is also catholic inasmuch as it calls for a level of counter-cultural devotion that is lacking among many Protestants in our generation, myself included.
What I like most about the book, however, is the insight into the connection between the Gospel and poverty. Vanier writes:
"People may come to our communities because they want to serve the poor; they will only stay once they have discovered that they themselves are the poor. And then they discover something extraordinary: that Jesus came to bring the good news to the poor, not to those who serve the poor! I think we can only truly experience the presence of God, meet Jesus, receive the good news, in and through our own poverty, because the kingdom of God belongs to the poor, the poor in spirit, the poor who are crying out for love." (p. 20)
Poverty and Gospel Riches go hand in hand. I thank God for this little work and commend it to my friends and readers.
This little book (it is only sixty pages) has some powerful, if mystical, challenges to the contemporary mode of living out the Christian faith. Vanier writes with the simplicity of Brother Lawrence, and the conviction of Rich Mullins. It is a Catholic book in the sense that it moves in that style of devotional literature.
But it is also catholic inasmuch as it calls for a level of counter-cultural devotion that is lacking among many Protestants in our generation, myself included.
What I like most about the book, however, is the insight into the connection between the Gospel and poverty. Vanier writes:
"People may come to our communities because they want to serve the poor; they will only stay once they have discovered that they themselves are the poor. And then they discover something extraordinary: that Jesus came to bring the good news to the poor, not to those who serve the poor! I think we can only truly experience the presence of God, meet Jesus, receive the good news, in and through our own poverty, because the kingdom of God belongs to the poor, the poor in spirit, the poor who are crying out for love." (p. 20)
Poverty and Gospel Riches go hand in hand. I thank God for this little work and commend it to my friends and readers.
