Reading: letters on pages 61 (to David, dated April 2, 1982) through 113 (end of part I)
Welcome to our second week of discussion! It was lovely to hear from each of you last week, and get a small glimpse into your hearts. We have another inspiring week ahead.
1) In his letter written to Ruth on February 3, 1982 (p 83) Henri responds to a reader who, like each of us, is longing for a more personal, intimate and direct relationship with God. He points her to gratitude and intercession.
a) You are invited to write a prayer of gratitude. Please share it with us!
b) You are invited to write a prayer of intercession for people you know, or for people you don’t know but of whose suffering you are aware of. Share it with us to the degree it is appropriate.
c) How do you sense these two steps can help you to develop a more personal relationship with God?
2) In the letter to Senator Hatfield from September 30, 1984 (p98) Henri writes about the great temptation faced by every human being to allow ones identity to be determined what people say about us. This is, no doubt, something all of us can identify with. Henri invites us to believe the truth that we are people infinitely loved by God even though we are sinners. Henri writes, “Your true name is the name God has given to you, and no human being can take that name away from you.”
a) Consider the times you’ve found yourself tempted to try to prove to others that they are wrong in what they say (or might be thinking) of you. Based on this letter, how might you live those times differently now and into the future?
3) In his letter to Mark from September 4, 1982 (p 71), Henri writes of his desire to be “present to people with all that I have.”
a) Although Henri is writing as a priest, by our baptism as Christians we are all called to love and serve other people. What insights have you gained in this letter that may help you to better minister to those people in your life?
4) Again, these letters reflect the way Henri cared for people around him, often by sharing from the heart his own experiences.
a) In this set of letters, does anything inspire you or stand out to you about the way that Henri cares for others, and responds to their life experiences?
As always, feel free to share whatever comes up for you in this week’s reading. We look forward to hearing from you… whether a very simple comment or a more extended reflection. We value each of you.
Yours,
Ray and Brynn
Friends,
My favorite prayer of gratitude: Just before the start of the Eucharistic prayer: “let us give thanks … it is right and just” and then “It is truly right and just, proper and helpful for our salvation, that we always and everywhere give thanks …”. That always and everywhere covers a lot of ground including, as Henri keeps reminding me, joys and pains.
One big take-away from these letters: while being there for someone by listening is important, being there means unguardedly sharing my own joys and pains and moments of ecstasy.
Regarding the letter to Senator Hatfield: I remember how strongly Yuri Zhivago reacted when his brother told him (lied to him) his opinion of his poetry. Maybe a poet is the best example of someone with an inner vision being driven to share it in spite of what others may think. I need to trust my inner vision. On what basis can I trust that my inner vision — my conscience — is well formed. Henri’s answer is to remain centered on Christ, on the Eucharist. I’ve been trying to understand what that means for me.
My high point in the readings this week: The letter to James (10/30/85) included Henri’s lament about the difficulties of speaking the full truth … communicating the mystery of God’s presence … of knowing God. This is such a powerful bit of Love from Henri, as he is admitting to his weakness as a pastor.
Jack
Tonight I am grateful for a dear friend who had successful cancer surgery on Thursday. This beautiful, sensitive man accompanied his wife on her journey to death from brain cancer a little over two years ago…and now found himself with cancer. We shared lunch, conversation, prayer and even laughter at my convent home on Tuesday preceding his surgery and he told me he missed his wife’s “calming” presence. How could he not? But as he left he thanked me for listening to his memories. So I am grateful for God in his heart, Gods healing presence.
This week also our mayor issued a proclamation kicking off an Embracing Muslim Neighbors Initiative with an event at the Columbia SC city hall chambers. We participants were encouraged to come an hour ahead to get acquainted with each other and during the event a Jewish rabbi, a Muslim imman and a Christian woman minister each read three quotes from their “holy book.” This wonderful evening culminated with dinner in the Mediterranean restaurant across the street owned by a Muslim who hosted us all at no charge – and our meal tickets were coded with colored dots so we sat at assigned tables and continues to make new friends. I am so proud of Columbia SC and grateful for the interfaith and intercultural inclusivity that is present.
Dear All,
A very warm thank you to each of you for these open, honest, and thoughtful reflections. Thank you for your kindness and encouragement to one another. And thank you for pointing my heart to our Saviour.
The letter to Ruth was relevant to me, because I am in a season that is full of joy and blessing. My heart is full with gratitude for my loving family, for health, strength, opportunity. For the first snow fall. For the little birds that sing even when it is below freezing out. And for the rays of sunshine that make the snow sparkle like the unbelievable miracle that it is. I am grateful for so many things. But above all, I am so very grateful for our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to bring light to a dark world. Thank you Lord, for Christmas.
We were out for a walk today and I saw a teenager walking to his school. I smiled and said hello but he wouldn’t make eye contact. I could sense his sadness, his angst. So Lord, I think of this young man, and the many across this world whose hearts are in pain, sadness and darkness. I pray they would experience the freedom (from sin and darkness) that is found in You. May they know the pure joy of your face shinning upon them. And may they experience a peace that frees them to live life for Your glory.
Numbers 6:24-26
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’
Brynn
the letter to Mark was quite impactful.Henri discusses being present to others. he says he responds to others with whatever my own life has taught me.he says it is most important to be with people where joy and pain are experienced and to hve them become aware of God’s unlimited love in the midst of our limited abilities to help each other.so how do i respond to this. i really need to know that God is Love. unconditional sea of love. i also need to know that i am broken. i am a sinner. not for shame sake but to understand God’s sea of Mercy.i also need to know that Jesus came to save/ rescue/ redeem me. when i experience the above in my relationship to God/Jesus/ Holy Spirit i now have my own story that has been united to the master story.i can now be in solidarity with those i encounter.i can now witness to Christ.as Henri says to witness for him with what i have seen with my own eyes, heard with my own ears and touched with my own hands. i am ready to be present to people with all i have. to lay down my life for others.my mind is straight . Come Holy Spirit let my heart take over.
Charles,
Yes. Yes. Yes and Amen. “All the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (2Cor 1:20) I so resinate with all that you have said here. “Come Holy Spirit let my heart take over.” That is a courageous prayer brother.
Thank you for sharing.
Peace and Love,
Catherine
Friends,
First, let me express my gratitude to each of you for your heartfelt and spirit-filled sharing and your compassionate responses within our community. It is a privilege and a joy to join with you this Advent.
This week I was drawn to Henri’s emphasis on proclaiming the kerygma–the Good News of what God has done and is doing in the Person of Jesus Christ. As it should be for all Christians, this proclamation was central to Henri’s faith and life as a priest as shown in these two letters from 1982:
a) “…I am more and more convinced of the importance to live in the Spirit of the Risen Christ. Christ is the God who entered into solidarity with our struggles and became truly God with us… Believing in the Risen Lord means believing that in and through Christ the evil one has been overcome and that death no longer is the final word. (To Paul 5/20/82)”
b) “I also feel strongly that the death and resurrection of Christ is the greatest event of history and that our ultimate connectiveness [sic] has the potential to make us into people who truly participate in the divine mystery of creation and redemption.” (To Albert and Dee 9/4/1982)
Proclamation of the kerygma–the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified, risen from the dead, and living with us now–must be at the heart of the evangelization our society so desperately needs today. In the words of St. Augustine, “You are great O God… You made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
This was brought home to me today in a powerful article in the Washington Post that showed in the recent U.S. presidential election Donald Trump was especially strong in counties with the highest drug, alcohol and suicide mortality rates–known by experts collectively as “the diseases of despair.” http://wpo.st/SNZK2 The article goes on to describe communities and individuals devastated by demise of the U.S. manufacturing base over the past few decades. The author writes, “Many supported Barack Obama eight years ago because they were desperate for hope and change. They’re still desperate, and now they’re hopeful Trump can bring the change they’re looking for.” Many of these same people have also drifted away from their religious roots and the active practice of their faith. It seems to me that desperate people are seeking a worldly savior rather than turning to the divine one “who entered into solidarity with our struggles and became truly God with us.” An important step in real healing is to accept and walk with Jesus. Henri’s compassionate letters show us the power of prayer and the importance of proclaiming Jesus Christ when confronting the evils and injustice in the world.
Lord Jesus, send down your Holy Spirit to those who have lost hope in you–especially those suffering from the diseases of despair. Comfort them, give them hope, and welcome them home. Empower your people to reach out, to minister, and to accompany them on their journey. Enlighten our government, church, and civic leaders to act in a way that brings about your will. We ask this in your most Holy Name.
Amen Ray, a very heart felt Amen!
Ray,
I deeply appreciate your thoughtful reflection on the diseases of despair. I also read with great interested the suggested Washington Post article. Both were helpful in making meaning of the mood of our country. For me its a wakeup call to deeper listening to people’s pain. A despair that eclipses the determination to struggle and opts for ways to numb the pain with drugs, alcohol and even suicide. I’m profoundly challenged by this as a Christian. To Henri’s point how do I live in this apocalyptic time? It seems to me a sacramental lifestyle that becomes broken bread and poured out wine in the moment. The resurrection of Jesus is the pivotal point. I need him to rise again in me over and again so that I can die to myself and let his life live in me moment by moment. Simple but not so much.
Beverly
Beverly,
Thank you so much for your reply. I greatly appreciate your insight about the need to live a sacramental lifestyle in our daily lives at this difficult time. Yes… “Simple but not so much.”
Ray
I have underlined a few things near the end of section 1. Many have cited the letter to Senator Mark Hatfield and I too liked this letter but I’ll share something different. P. 85 “The mystery of God’s grace is that He often changes us in ways that we were not planning on and that sometimes we do not have eyes to see or ears to hear these changes in ourselves. I deeply believe that God is always active in us and always melding us into new people.” This is a wonderful thought for me – that God works on my heart in spite of myself. When I look back, it’s easy to see how I have failed. I know these failings are not the first thing my friends think of when they see me. It would be helpful if I looked at myself through they eyes of Jesus – forgiven by his grace and sacrifice for all of us, on the cross.
P. 87 “Without prayer, even our ‘good busyness’ will lead to our destruction.” Sometimes this even happens when we are busy with things in the church or things that we think God has called us to. P. 88, “Every time you spend silent time in your prayer room, you celebrate the Lord’s victory over the world.” Sweet is all I have to say about that. : )
Please note, I used to write with the name Marianne but now I’m just writing with my real name of Miriam.
Thank you Miriam for sharing these thoughts that I also felt that they were
directed at me. I need to stop and listen more.
I’m compelled to write after reading Henri’s letter to Jim 10/30/1982……
“a real oasis” comes for me as well…reminding me of the starting place of “timeless words and loving spirit” that I began this Advent reading with…….
Henri’s sudden realization why the Church is called the “bride” of Christ….his confession of loneliness due to unfaithfulness….and the reality that Church is not without weaknesses, but one does not love (the bride) because she has no weakness…..
For me, serving presently as vice chair of my Church board, I’m especially drawn to this writing. And, as God always seems to be about doing, I am currently in Song of Solomon in my Bible reading……and I have been consciously reading with Christ’s Bride in mind….when I read chapter 3 this a.m……the bride dreams/her soul seeks/she rises/goes looking/asks the watchmen/then finds/holds on….and I read chamber as my heart…..earlier I had journaled….Somehow I sense direction from You, God, for 2017 church life. I know You are doing something new in me-thank You-I’m not sure but I pray that Your most Holy, Loving Will be done. How can this be? And then I read Henri’s words to Jim…..truly, with God, all things are possible and in God’s time! So very, very humbling……and hope-filled, life-giving, on-going.
The letter that spoke most to me this week was the one dated Sept 24, 1984 to Cynthia experiencing a crisis in her marriage: ” I am being loved by an unconditional, unlimited love, and that love allows me to be a free person, center of my own actions and decisions.” It reminded me of something I am struggling with at the moment. I am looking to another Sister to fulfill my needs instead of looking to God!!! I am so disappointed when she doesn’t communicate with me as much as I would like and in the depth that I would like! I realise that I am giving her too much power in my life instead of looking to the Holy Spirit to empower me. I want her to make decisions for me instead of trusting in my own discernment and valuing my own opinion on issues!! The Lord, and Henri too, are telling me that now is the time to cut the umbilical cord!! To be FREE. To not put anyone on a pedestal. If I REALLY believed that I was deeply loved by God I wouldn’t need to look elsewhere because His love would be enough. Lord I believe, help my UNBELIEF. You have a lot more work to do on me yet!!
Nuala, it’s so easy to be disappointed by another person, isn’t it? It reminds me of the verses in “ON Christ the Solid Rock I stand” where the verse says, “I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.” Not sure if that’s a familiar song to you but you could probably find it on YouTube. Blessings to you dear sister.
Thanks Miriam for your encouraging words. Am going to look that song up on YouTube. They are words I need to hear right now!!
Nuala, the first line is, “My Hope is built on Nothing Less” and I could only find jazzy versions of it on YouTube. Hope it’s meaningful to you either way! Miriam
I too struggle with wanting more from a Brother in Christ who is not capable of giving me more. He does not understand that the garden of friendship needs to be watered to grow. I may want more but God tells me that I do not need more. There is that constant tug between wanting more and not needing more. I believe Henri experienced the same feelings on his journey. Rest assured that you are not alone. God is with us every step of the way and puts us on the same path as we walk our own journey to him.
Yes, I know I am in that struggle too, wanting more in a relationship and not believing that Jesus is enough.
I see bits of myself in Henri’s letters and many of his insights are not new to me. It’s just that I after seeing myself in a mirror I often walk away and forget what I look like. When I read the letter written to Ruth on February 3, 1982 (p 83) I knew I needed to respond not just here but in my life. I’m sure my friends and family all recognize my lack of gratitude It’s hard for me to admit but true that I am a glass half-empty person; I keep resisting that knowledge about myself. So why do I fail in gratitude? Henri has answered that for me: my life is not centered in Eucharist and in Jesus but is focused on self. For a long time I have not gotten past only thinking about praying more intently for others. So how to refocus? Henri answers that too but it requires my doing not just hearing the Word.
“Lord, God you are so good to me for continuing to love me. Despite my lack of spiritual discipline. Despite my failure to really see the people around me. Despite my failure to recognize you, Lord, your love manifests in grace poured out in my life. Why do I keep from singing?”
Greetings,
My name is Todd from Wisconsin and I am taking the liberty of jumping into your discussion mid-stream. I am a special education teacher and nearing the age of 50! I have 2 teenage children and a wife who is also a teacher. I have participated in a couple of book discussions before, and I am grateful to Brynn and Ray for hosting again! I consider Henri Nouwen as sort of patron saint. I have read and re-read “The Road to Daybreak” many times. I often pack with me on travels or keep at my bedside table. It is a comfort- almost like an ongoing conversations with Henri. Given that, you can image my pleasure to have discovered this latest book, Love, Henri. Anxious to get reading. Thanks for letting me tag along. I have read all your posts and they have been so edifying to me, especially during this chaotic season. Blessed Advent to all!
Todd,
Welcome and thanks for jumping in and joining us. We’re grateful you’re here again.
Ray
I’ve read Henri’s letter to Senator Hatfield over and again. Reflecting, I realized I also experienced a traumatic event similar to Hatfield’s. Circumventing details, my ex-husband committed a crime. He had been a pastor but left parish ministry. At the time the event occured we attended the same church. Needing help because of the nature of the offense, I went to the church elders. They refused to believe me or my children. That betrayal of trust impacted hit at the heart of my integrity and shook my dentity. Meditating on Hatfield’s letter caused me to see more clearly how this event disrupted our lives and dislocated our family. Because the church was experienced as intimate family, their choice to deny what happened amounted to complicit silence. The net result for me children and me was soul shattering. Gratefully, 2 Christian friends who were well known leaders accompanied me to court. That said, I’ve been picking up shards of this shattered image ever since. It devestated my children and they walked away from faith. While I do believe deeply that my identity is rooted in my relationship with Jesus Christ, when His body called the church chooses complict silence rather than bearing witness to betrayal it shakes people’s confidence. It caused me to question if what I knew as fact was true. It caused me to question my identity. Over the years some healing has happened surrounding this event. But the splintering effects are still seen displayed in the lives and relationships of my children. Reading Hatfield’s letter reinforced the need to revisit this trauma, narrate it in a therapeutic relationship, integrate it into my life and move forward. I have taken Henri’s suggestion to Senator Hatfield: “The Art of Prayer,” that ‘the prayer of the heart’ might offer me more healing for this wound.
Beverly,
Thank you for this open, heartfelt, and very difficult sharing. We are blessed that you are journeying with us this Advent. What I found comforting in Henri’s letter to Senator Hatfield was this: “Your true name is the name God has given you, and no human being can take that name away from you.” And throughout Henri’s writing, he reminds us that, like Jesus, we are God’s beloved. May the Lord give you peace, today and always.
Ray
Beverly Thank you .I am experiencing a situation at church which calls into question what is being church to each other ? We have an important meeting tonight and it may involve a need to review my calling to a place I love dearly .The anticipation has been a burden today so I decided I needed to look inward using this book discussion as a means of gaining access to God’s love.
That last line of your post has offered me healing because you were courageous enough to share it and it is a healing prayer in my heart that I will take to the meeting rather than the whirlwind of fear and anticipation .With gratitude
I’m joining a bit late, but have appreciated the thoughtful comments you all have posted. On Sunday we sang “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” and I was amazed how the lyrics also describe what Nouwen and a number of you have expressed:
“Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.
The desire for peace has been a centuries-old prayer, and continues until Christ returns. Verse 4 also describes the weariness that some of Henri’s letters address:
And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!
May we all take that rest in the present to “hear the angels sing” this Advent Season
Susan,
Thank you for this. And I will just share:
Many years back, on Christmas eve, I recited the lyrics to “What child is this … ” for my family. I almost didn’t make it through I was so choked up. Maybe we need to once and a while quit singing so gleefully and pay close attention to the words. In a way this is akin to Henri’s telling us to take time and find quiet.
Jack
My prayer of Thanksgiving. Try to say every day, but always after receiving the Eucharist. First part is original, second was given to me by a dear friend years ago.
Lord, thank you for the gift of my life. Thank you for loving me and accepting me as I am, and for calling me to become the very best version of myself. Thank you for forgiving me of all my sins; please teach me to do the same for others.
Jesus, thank you for your “yes” to life; thank you for your “yes” to death; thank you for your “yes” to Resurrection; thank you for your “yes” to your Ascension; and thank you for the gift of your HolySpirit.
Lord, my past lies in your mercy, my present is in your love, my future rests in your providence. All that I am and all that I have is yours, through Mary, your loving mother. Amen
Beautiful words packed with love!
Henri characterized a Eucharistic life as “a life in which you give thanks to the giver of life. How often do I overlook simply saying thanks to the giver of all life?”
The prayer of gratitude that came to my mind this morning was one of the simple thanks spoken in childhood, “Thank you for the birds that sing, thank you, God, for everything.” Simple, yes, but so complete. Today, I will attempt to look at the wonders of this day with childhood eyes. I will repeat that prayer with each recognition of the wonderful gifts of my life as they are, here and now.
Thank you, God, for everything.
Here is what another spiritual master had to say: “”If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” –Meister Eckhart https://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJ/status/801806101956202496
Friends,
Here is another belated thought about the House of Love. This goes back to the letter to Ed on 10/08/75. Henri mentions speaking in a creative way, and the exhausting effort it requires. It also is exhausting in the sense that it requires overcoming fear associated with risk of failure. I used to be a teacher and one of my weaknesses was that desire to step out and try new things, often to my peril. But it was true enthusiasm and true love for the students, a giving of myself.
It is so important to welcome inspirations, build upon them with intense concentration, and share them willingly, even if there is a risk of losing time and falling flat.
Jack
This is a belated post from last week’s reading.
Friends:
I struggled mightily with the questions relating to the letter to Mike and Pat (10/06/81) : on life in Christ. On my desk are pages of scribbled notes. I think in an abstract sense Henri is sharing his appreciation of Christian Mysticism: losing oneself and uniting with Christ/God. But the letter is not an abstract highbrow theological treatment. It refers to real experience in the sacraments.
Life in Christ is more than can be gleaned from scripture or even Church tradition, both which have their source in “ideas and stories.”
I think that for Henri, Life in Christ involves power passed directly from Jesus through bishops and priests — supernatural power through outward signs that bring Grace to individuals. “Grace” is the word that pops out of my notes. Grace is that power of Christ we can cherish within us in our lives as em-powerment.
My attempt to live a Christ Life: Try hard to discover God’s will in my life. That comes back to time, quiet, solitude, and prayer, and learning from others. What Henri so often emphasizes. To plan and carry out my life in accordance with God’s will, filled with hope.
Here is an example. Today I attended the funeral for the mother of a friend. In the eulogy it was remembered how dedicated she was to her grandchildren. So I’m gong to take time tomorrow to try to clarify what is God’s will for me with regard to my grandchildren. Shouldn’t be too difficult. In the abstract it is easy to mention spending time and being present. The hard part is deciding on concrete action and following through. Another factor is my concern that I will come off as a goofy grandpa, rather than a loving and meaningful person in their lives.
I can see now how many of the ideas from Henri’s letters are intersecting in my mind. Fabulous! I’m so grateful for this opportunity.
And I find myself framing these thoughts as if they are a letter to friends. How about that!
good day to all ,
Jack
Be not afraid! I needed a fun-loving, goofy grandpa in my life when I was young. though I loved my solemn grandfather.
Hi Jack, I’m pretty sure that being present to your grandchildren is gift enough. Don’t worry about anyone’s opinion about that today. Many, many people have such fond memories of their grandparents being around long after the grandparents have died. You might not know today, or next week, or ever, the impact of your presence. Just give it as a gift and that’s enough.
Picture the scene me a grandma looking after two grandchildren one 11 the other 14 and early to bed because he had a sleepover with friends the night before.
My granddaughter and I were chatting in my room before bed .We’d been sharing a few “golden goofy ” moments when she stopped me short with ,”Nana you are so ODD ! ” Did I really hear myself reply ,”Ooh Sophie that’s the nicest thing you could say to me.If you mean I’m odd because there is no one else like me then I am unique and special.That’s why I so loved teaching no two pupils were the same that made it really interesting.” I left a long pondering pause then looked her full in her lovely face and said, “Darling do you realise that makes you ODD too ” .This wonderful smile and then an impish grin gave light to her face and unbeknown to her I felt a brief touch of Christ’s love in that moment between all three of us.
Letting go and letting Christ enter is a daily challenge but when it happens so unexpectedly it brings great joy .Finding God in the everyday in places like this with you all and Henri is so rewarding in its opportunities to walk together too.Thank you .
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
Leader: John the Baptist called people to repentance. He prepared a way for the Lord. We make these petitions as we prepare to welcome Christ our Savior.
That the Holy Spirit will guide leaders of church communities as they nurture their faith families, we pray to the Lord.
That men and women entrusted with authority will make justice flourish in our time, we pray to the Lord.
That Christians hear and take to heart the call to repent and to accept the mercy offered by God’s only Son, we pray to the Lord.
That all those who endure suffering, rejection, or loneliness may find the fullness of peace in the coming of our Savior, we pray to the Lord.
For those who are sick, homebound or hospitalized, may they feel the touch of God through our prayer and care, ………….we pray to the Lord.
That we will believe the truth that we are people infinitely loved by God even though we are sinners and act as sons and daughters of God called by name, ….we pray to the Lord.
God, our Father, when your only Son came into this world we were given hope of salvation. With that same hope, we trust you will grant our petitions, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thank you for this Liz. I don’t come from a liturgical tradition but I find it is a good way for me to pray.
My Dear Friends,
Thank you for your kind words. Thank you for sharing the stirrings in your hearts. I have been reading them from the sidelines, as I have in past readings. What strikes me as I read Henri’s words and yours, is how deep and reflective the written word is and how personal the effect on my heart. I am reminded of letters I wrote so many years ago while in Catholic boarding school. My letters then, probably were provoked by a certain loneliness and yet they were also very loving. I think I can actually feel the stirrings in Henri’s heart as I read his letters and the caring he has for the recipient. I long to be that loving again and I believe that desire is a longing to be closer to God and to all of you. I too struggle to be more spiritual with daily prayers, with seeing God in all people and with taking time for silence. Your Advent love letters are a sign of hope. I am not alone. I am thankful for all of you. My prayer and gratitude today and every day is for all you. God bless your hearts.
“…The great temptation faced by every human being to allow ones identity to be determined what people say about us”.
By virtue of personality, for some of us, the pull of this temptation is stronger than the experience of others.
I found myself being forced out of a job of awhile ago after many years of challenging but committed and meaningful employment. I found myself very down, believing I was a failure because my boss didn’t “like” me. It was a difficult, dark time, but born out of that difficulty was something beautiful. I learned my name is given by God. I learned that what other people think of me is not who I am. I am who HE says I am.
Thank you Jerry .I too have been on a similar kind of experiential journey but with the knowing of the beauty comes the freedom of letting God love you into becoming who you are in him .So now 25 years later I am on a journey as a seeker and a more confident sharer travelling home to the heart of God .
Lord, I feel the mood of the country and my city. And its dark. Here in Louisville we’ve experienced the highest number of homicides in the nation in a year. My heart breaks for these families. I feel fear hanging in the air…walking into church downtown. People are on edge. What next? Holy Spirit of peace grant us peace. Not peace based on the premise of what others will or won’t do, but peace based the promise of the cross. Jesus only is our peace who has broken down every wall. He’s a light shining in dark places looking for mirrors in the soul to shine for Him. I admit I’m lazy. Save me from my safe theology and lead me into a living faith that incarnates Jesus life. May the mirror of my small life catch your light today and reflect it to those in the shadows offering smiles and hope in small ways. Amen.
December 4, 2016: A Prayer of Gratitude
Bless the LORD, O my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
–Lord, as I open my heart to you, I thank you for the vastness of your love to all that you have made. It is too big for me to comprehend, so I stop and thank you for the beauty of today’s fresh snowfall. The weather reminds me that your love is new every morning.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits
–Thank you for forgiving me when I value getting the job done on time more than taking time to really see the person right in front of me.
–Thank you for drawing me into a time of rest so that my body can heal.
–Thank you for reminding me as I have watched a dear friend die, that your love is stronger than death.
–Thank you that the crown you give is made of steadfast love and mercy. I put it on today. It reminds me of your goodness.
–Thank you for being so generous to me. Today I am comfortable and warm, living amongst neighbours whose stories I know. I have an abundance of food to eat and pure spring water to drink. My husband and I worshipped with our local Christian community and we shared communion. I talked to the oldest couple in church and watched a grandfather adore his new granddaughter. We sang songs of praise to you, Lord, and felt lifted up. We were reminded that our hope is in you.
–Thank you for those elected Canadian officials who work for the common good of Canadians and for our world neighbours. Thank you for encouraging me to also work for the common good of all people and to believe that you have planted a seed of goodness in each person. Thank you that my refugee grandparents and their children were guided to escape to Canada and that compassionate people in Canada worked with the government to secure their entry.
–Thank you for the joy of your presence in my heart and all around me.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
Bless the LORD, O my soul.
Thank you for starting my day with an attitude of gratitude.
Thank you Susan. It is now approaching 2 am where I live, and yours is a beautiful prayer to end this second Sumday of Advent. And again I say, thank you!
Today I awoke, as I often do, with a sense of overwhelming sadness for the pain of the world: those waking up to the sound of street violence, to grumbling stomachs, to a day without productive work or friendship or hope. Yet, as you note, Susan, “The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will hope in him.” And I will hope in the power of the loving people who work to ameliorate such pain. Henri speaks of “God’s unlimited love in the midst of our limited abilities to help each other.” I pray that in some small way I will be part of the solution.
Henri also notes, “Without being with the poor, it is hard to see Jesus.” In my work with youth groups, I try to create a picture of the faces and hearts and courage of the poor with whom I have worked. Those encounters has been life-changing for me. I pray that I will never forget and that I can find the words to bring their stories to the youth. I pray that the acrimony that has permeated so much of the public conversation in the United States might yield to the kind of understanding and compassion that you describe, Susan.
Thank you for a gorgeous and eloquent prayer of gratitude.
One of our prompts also calls us to think about intercessory prayers. It is said that we cannot hate those for whom we pray. Therefore, I ask you, Lord, to give me the courage and insight to pray in earnest for those whose rancorous words have caused stress and division. Let the light of your love overcome our darkness.
I am praying along with you, Elaine, that the light of God’s love will shine in the darkness. Singing and prayer often go together.
Susan,
Psalm 16 is a favorite of mine. “Lord, You are my portion and my cup of blessing;You hold my future.” (Ps16.5) Remembering Henri’s book, “Can you drink this cup?” there is the cup of blessing as well as the cup of suffering. Life’s joys and sorrows fill the cups we are given. Yet as Jesus prayed to the Father before his approaching death, “Let this chalice pass…if not your will be done.”I place my hope in the God who knows me by name, and knows how to bless me and be with me in joy as well in sorrow.
Lord, may your Holy Spirit lead me on the holy path, giving me joy in your presence and strength to bear trial.
Friends,
It took me until today to gather my thoughts from the readings and the open and touching comments posted by many of you last week.
I know what it is like to live in my “house of fear” (e.g., fear of not being accepted or not being good enough or successful enough) and the challenge of moving to the house of love (as Henri might say, by letting go and trusting we will be caught by God, by claiming our belovedness). By participating in many of these book discussions, I have been regularly reminded through Henri’s words of the need for spiritual discipline. I have the desire to pray but, in honesty, I struggle to establish a disciplined approach to prayer and to make the commitment to follow through. My prayer for this Advent is that I can, as Brené writes in the Foreward, “…make time. For God. For love. For contemplation. For mystery. For justice. And for the wisdom pain brings.”
In reviewing my notes from last week, I realized that many of Henri’s ideas that spoke to me were really related to making time and listening—-the heart of living a life of spiritual discipline. What follows is my arrangement of those ideas in a way that is meaningful to me with the (letter date). The final sentence is crucial for me. It’s time to live a spiritual life. And Henri points the way. Lord, give me the strength to follow.
Henri writes: The value of life is not in the amount of years but in the intensity and fullness with which it is lived. (06/09/73) I am more and more convinced that the first commandment indeed needs to be first: to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind. Our heart, soul, and mind can never be divided between God and neighbor or anything else… But you need a spiritual discipline. (05/30/76)
Be sure to make the Eucharist the center of your life… In the Eucharist we become most intimately united with Christ. (06/03/79) I hope you keep some quiet time every day to be with God and him alone. A daily time for silent prayer will do you a lot of good. Sometimes the reading of a few psalms or another biblical reading is the best preparation for quiet time. Always end with a personal prayer and an Our Father. (09/27/76) The whole central idea of meditation is simply to pay attention to God and find your real self in him. If I keep paying attention to myself and my little world, I get more and more entangled in the old self, which really amounts to a death trip. (07/08/79)
God’s ways are remarkable and He can truly break through all human limitations and restrictions; so be hopeful and expectant and pray fervently that the Lord will give you what you most deeply crave. You really deserve it and the Lord will not let your prayer go unanswered. (09/03/81) After all the talk and writing (Note: in Ray’s case, reading) about spirituality it is time for me to try to live a spiritual life. (emphasis added) (02/27/79)
We are all called to live a spiritual life and I am grateful to each of you for sharing your Advent journey with us.
May the Lord give you peace.
Ray
Miriam Joni and Marge I opened my kindle to start this week’s reading and want to say how useful your posts are as a focus on this week.
Miriam holding on to hope in the everyday. Joni keeping our focus on God and Marge develops that with an invitation to face the negative distractions of recent social and political change by acknowledging what God has already achieved.
All encouraging us to examine our intentions and if they are in tune with God’s love. I find that a challenging work in progress and as a daily routine have found it useful to write on a post it each day a moment when God inspired my gratitude. It is good to revisit glimpses of his presence in a practical way. I post them in a glass jar labelled Jesus light of the world gratitude. Have a good God filled week one and all.
I missed commenting last week but the most important thing for me was whether we can keep on living with hope. There is always hope even if a person is Palliative. There’s hope for good things in the day such as friends, ice cream, emails from friends, a nice sunset or a bird perched on the deck fence. These are all ways God sends his tender loving care to us.
Henri’s comment: “I hope and pray that the Lord will deepen our faith during these weeks of Advent and will fill us with a peace and joy which belong to His kingdom.”
I share this hope and prayer forcour group this Advent.
Good morning friends. I found myself so deeply involved in reading Henri’s letters this past week that I could simply read and ponder and jot down little reminders of portions that really touched my heart. I would like to share a little bit of that with you all before I begin the readings for this week. I am thrilled to be back among this little community of believers.
“The first and most important task we have is to keep our eyes on God and him alone. We will never overcome the demons by analyzing them but only by forgetting them in an all-consuming love of God.”
As others have shared, the recent election in the USA has brought much pain and conflict to many of us. Henri’s call to focus not on the demons but on God’s love is helping me to regain a sense of hope and balance.
Letter to Paul 5/20/1982 such a helpful read this a.m. “Working for social change, to me, means to make visible in time and place that which has already been accomplished in principle by God Himself.” And to struggle not out of frustration, resentment, anger or self-righteousness, but out of care, love, forgiveness, gratitude…..what has already been accomplished, I choose to participate in and keeping clear my inward motivation….the challenge is on….and Henri’s gratitude for the children’s openness/playfulness might be a key for me…..I have 14 grandchildren, so have many opportunities to receive these particular gifts, might I be receptive…….to what is right here, right now….much to ponder, love.