Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved. Henri Nouwen More Quotes by Henri Nouwen More Quotes From Henri Nouwen We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who need as much care as anyone we care for. Henri Nouwen broken people needs Our greatest fulfillment lies in giving ourselves to others. Henri Nouwen compassion giving lying Where true inner freedom is, there is God. And where God is, there we want to be. Henri Nouwen god-is-there want The question is not: How many people take you seriously? How much are you going to accomplish? Can you show some results? but: Are you in love with Jesus? Henri Nouwen prayer christian jesus One of the experiences of prayer is that it seems that nothing happens. But when you start with it and look back over a long period of prayer, you suddenly realize that something has happened. What is most close, most intimate, most present, often cannot be experienced directly but only with a certain distance. When I think that I am only distracted, just wasting my time, something is happening too Immediate for knowing, understanding, and experiencing. Only in retrospect do I realize that something very important has taken place. Henri Nouwen distance taken prayer Somehow, somewhere, I know that God loves me, even though I do not feel that love as I can feel a human embrace, even though I do not hear a voice as I hear human words...God is greater than my senses, greater than my thoughts, greater than my heart. I do believe that He touches me in places that are unknown even to myself. Henri Nouwen voice heart believe Although I am a committed Catholic priest, and nowhere hide that fact, my focus is very much a spiritual journey. Henri Nouwen focus journey spiritual If you meet God in solitude, you discover the God you meet is the God who embraces all people. Henri Nouwen embrace solitude people Home is the center of my being where I can hear the voice that says: 'You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests' - the same voice that gave life to the first Adam and spoke to Jesus, the second Adam; the same voice that speaks to all the children of God and sets them free to live in the midst of a dark world while remaining in the light. Henri Nouwen home children jesus We have to keep asking ourselves: 'What does it all mean? What is God trying to tell us? How are we called to live in the midst of all this?' Without such questions our lives become numb and flat. Henri Nouwen doe trying mean Ministry means the ongoing attempt to put one's own search for God, with all the moments of pain and joy, despair and hope, at the disposal of those who want to join this search but do not know how. Henri Nouwen pain joy mean It's good to have a prayer on your lips wherever you go. Henri Nouwen lips prayer One of the main tasks of theology is to find words that do not divide but unite, that do not create conflict but unity, that do not hurt but heal. Henri Nouwen unity tasks hurt For many, religion has to do with what we are allowed to do and not allowed to do. In the end, that doesn't bear fruit. Henri Nouwen fruit ends bears Emit gratitude as though it was done Henri Nouwen gratitude done How do you pray? Take the gospel of each day and spend ten minutes with it. Read it, and read it again. Walk into the world with the gospel in your heart. Henri Nouwen each-day heart world Take prayer with you wherever you go. Say it anytime, and then focus your mind and heart on God. Henri Nouwen focus prayer heart Through discipline, discipline is the other side of discipleship. If you want to follow Jesus, you have to have discipline. Henri Nouwen discipline want jesus Solitude does not pull us away from our fellow human beings but instead makes real fellowship possible. Henri Nouwen solitude real doe Dear God, I am so afraid to open my clenched fists! Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to? Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands? Please help me to gradually open my hands and to discover that I am not what I own, but what you want to give me. Henri Nouwen want giving hands
