Reading: The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey Through Anguish to Freedom
Introduction & A Suggestion to the Reader, p. xiii to xxi
I never lost the ability to write. In fact, writing became part of my struggle
for survival. It gave me the little distance from myself that
I needed to keep from drowning in my despair. (p. xvi)
Do not read too many of these spiritual imperatives at once!
They were written over a long period of time and
need to be read that way too. (p. xxi)
A warm welcome to each of you—those returning for another Henri Nouwen Society book discussion and those joining us for the first time. As always, a wonderful, caring, and spirit-filled community of seekers will gather to read, reflect, and discuss one of Henri’s forty books. This Lent we will explore The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey Through Anguish to Freedom, Henri’s secret journal written during the most difficult period in his life.
As Henri describes in the Introduction, the sudden interruption of a deeply satisfying friendship led to an emotional and spiritual breakdown so severe that he needed to leave his community for six months for counseling and healing. Writing the spiritual imperatives in this book—originally intended for him alone—were an important contributor to Henri’s recovery. Many of Henri’s most significant books, including The Return of the Prodigal Son and Life of the Beloved, were written after he returned to his community and they are brimming with spiritual insights that Henri refined while in his emotional and spiritual crucible. This Lent we will enter the crucible with Henri by reflecting on the spiritual imperatives he wrote on his journey through anguish to freedom. We can follow Henri’s example as he turns his eyes upon Jesus, and therefore leads us to a place of hope and new life. This book is equally for those who are in a time of deep anguish and for those who are in a time of peace and joy, and want to be reminded of practical ways to keep their eyes on our Savior. We begin our discussion in earnest on Sunday, February 26th with the first 13 spiritual imperatives.
As we begin our Lenten journey together, it’s always nice to know something about our companions. Over the next few days you are encouraged to introduce yourself. You may choose to share:
- Your general geographic location.
- To whom or what you dedicate your days or energy, and why.
- How you came to know and read Henri Nouwen and whether or not you have participated in previous Henri Nouwen Society online discussions.
- What you hope to gain from this experience.
- Any comments you have on Henri’s introduction
Please scroll to the bottom of the page to post a comment introducing yourself in the
“Leave a Reply” box and to share other thoughts as we embark on our Lenten journey.
Shown below my signature is a brief personal introduction followed by the book discussion instructions for those joining us for the first time or interested in a review.
In gratitude,
Ray
Ray Glennon, Moderator: Ray and his wife Dawn live in Columbia, Maryland. He came to know and trust Henri’s written word in 2004 when he discovered The Return of the Prodigal Son for sale after Mass in Singapore at a difficult and transformative point in his life. He began participating in these book discussions in 2010 and has served as a moderator since 2014. Ray has presented adult education courses based on the life and work of Henri Nouwen. Ray and his wife belong to the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) and he volunteers in various ministries in his Catholic parish and at the Franciscan Shrine of St. Anthony. You may contact Ray by email at ray.glennon@1972.usna.com and you can follow him on Twitter.
Henri Nouwen Society Online Book Discussion Instructions
Let’s briefly describe how our online book discussion works. If you’ve joined us before, this will serve as a review.
Beginning this Sunday, February 26th, and each Sunday throughout Lent, a new entry or post will be added to the book discussion (the blog) home page. The post will identify the reading for the week, present a brief moderator’s reflection, and suggest some questions for discussion. Participants are invited and encouraged to comment on the post by responding to the suggested questions, by sharing their own reflections, and by replying to the comments of others throughout the week.
To read the comments or to leave a comment of your own, scroll down to the bottom of the post. If you don’t see any comments, click on the small link at the bottom that says
## Comments. To leave a new comment, continue scrolling down and use the “Leave a Reply” box. To reply to someone else’s comment, click the Reply link directly below their comment. After you submit a new comment or a reply, it needs to be “approved” either by me or Tammy at the Henri Nouwen Society so it may take a few hours before it actually appears on the blog page. If you have any questions or problems, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at ray.glennon@1972.usna.com.
