Hope is willing to leave unanswered questions unanswered and unknown futures unknown. Hope makes you see God's guiding hand not only in the gentle and pleasant moments but also in the shadows of disappointment and darkness. Henri Nouwen More Quotes by Henri Nouwen More Quotes From Henri Nouwen There are areas I have to work on. I had some questions and some struggles, but it was an enormously important time for me. Henri Nouwen areas important struggle Let's start with Jesus' answer: "Look for the kingdom first and all else will come together." Life is fragmenting, fragmented. I have a thousands things to do, others do too. We can live our life as if the main question is, "How can keep it together? How do I juggle all the balls? But the real question is, "How can I stay home - interiorly home - while I do these many things? Henri Nouwen real home jesus People forget ideas; they don't forget the real presence. Henri Nouwen real people ideas I loved to teach, I loved my students, but I wanted to find a community. I prayed: "Lord, show me where you want me to go. I will go wanted wherever you call me - but please be clear." Henri Nouwen community students want There is a Wonderful story in the Gospel of Luke (6:12-26). Jesus went up to the mountain to pray at night; in the morning he came down from the mountain and called his twelve apostles around him. In the afternoon he went out on the plain with them to preach the Good News and heal the sick. He had communion with God first, then he had community, and then he went out to do the work of God. That's the order of things. Henri Nouwen morning night jesus I had a deep experience of God's love for me. Henri Nouwen gods-love The great challenge is to discover that we are truly invited to participate in the divine life of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Henri Nouwen challenges father son Community life is not easy for somebody like me, who is used to living by himself and doing what he wants. It's a demanding life, and you quickly get in touch with your own handicaps and weaknesses. Henri Nouwen weakness community want The great call for the Church is to not just be concerned about right or wrong behavior, which is moral life, but about communion with God, which is mystical life. Henri Nouwen moral behavior church You don't have to run around world proving you're lovable. Henri Nouwen lovable running world In other words, first we must call people to communion with God, to intimacy with God, to a sense of belonging. Most people are lost, confused, alienated. They suffer and struggle immensely in relationships. We have to proclaim loudly and clearly in our actions and in our words that God loves us that we belong to him. That's a call to the mystical life. Henri Nouwen confused struggle people Jesus said Communion first, community comes out of that, and out of community, ministry. Henri Nouwen ministry community jesus Today's reading was "if they ask you to walk a mile, walk two. Don't take an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth." You have chances every second to live this Word, but it has to be in you. It can't just be an idea; it has to sink from the mind into the heart. Henri Nouwen eye reading heart I choose L'Arche; L'Arche chooses me. I would be dead if I weren't here. I need people to love me and care for me. Henri Nouwen would-be people needs As peacemakers, we must resist all the powers of war and destruction and proclaim that peace is the divine gift offered to all who affirm life. Resistance means saying 'No' to all the forces of death, wherever they may be. Henri Nouwen resistance war mean Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. Henri Nouwen taste live-in-the-moment patience Everything changes radically from the moment you know yourself as being sent into this world. Henri Nouwen things-change moments world Becoming the beloved is pulling the truth revealed to me from above down into the ordinariness of what I am, in fact, thinking of, talking about and doing from hour to hour. Henri Nouwen truth-revealed talking thinking People with handicaps teach me that being is more important than doing, the heart is more important than the mind, and caring together is better than caring alone. Henri Nouwen caring heart people As we are involved in unceasing thinking, so we are called to unceasing prayer. Henri Nouwen involved prayer thinking
