LENT 3: BEING THE BELOVED by HENRI NOUWEN 20.2.15

Day 3 of our Lenten Journey I'm sharing brief daily segments of Henri Nouwen's BELOVED.
Thoughtful reflection to inspire and inspirit our contemplation of who we are as we begin this journey. . .

* *   "Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the "Beloved." Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.” 

― Henri J.M. Nouwen

*
* LIFE OF THE BELOVED available in print Initially written in response to a Jewish journalist's question
 [which began their friendship],  "How does one live a spiritual life in a secular world? " Life of the Beloved has become Henri Nouwen’s greatest legacy to Christians around the world.  Epistolary writing, this personally sincere and powerful invitation to the spiritual life offered in Christ is an uplifting guide. * 160 pages paperback
Publisher:  Crossroad Publishing Company Published:  October 1st 2002
[Originally published 1992] *

Life of the Beloved : Spiritual Living in a Secular World

Audio version:  2 cds 2.5 hrs
Read by Henri Nouwen
Publisher:  Servant Books Published: February 13. 2007
"How does one live a spiritual life in a secular world?" Henri Nouwen responds from the depths of his heart to this dilemna posed by his friend Fred Bratman. Newly available on CD for the first time, this audiobook is recorded by Nouwen himself. His own interpretive reading of the text lends a sense of immediacy to the production. 2 CDs/2.5 hours (approx.) *

Nouwen, born Henri Jozef Machiel [Nouen] in Nijkerk Netherlands January 24th 1932.

Nouwen authored 40 b0oks on spiritual life.  His books are widely read today by Protestants and Catholics alike. The Wounded Healer, In the Name of Jesus, The Life of the Beloved, and The Way of the Heart are just a few of the more widely recognized titles.

After nearly two decades of teaching at the Menninger Foundation Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, and at the University of Notre Dame, Yale University and Harvard University, in 1986 he accepted the position of pastor and went to share his life with mentally handicapped people at Daybreak, the L'Arche community, founded by Jean Vanier, near Toronto, Canada.

After a long period of declining energy, which he chronicled in his final book, Sabbatical Journey, he died in September 1996 from a sudden heart attack.

* * Available in print and audiobook Find Henri Nouwen online *
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trust...

i've been experiencing interesting days of discovery, since returning from the mission, to find doves - otherwise not so attractively known as pigeons - had moved into the available space of my 10th floor balcony.  In my naivete, at the time, i didn't remove the 2 eggs in the nest.  In the intervening time, that naivete has been completely

replaced with worldly wisdom regarding dove eggs and nests.  i have already removed a further two within this past month without remorse.  but by allowing those first 2 eggs the opportunity to hatch, i have gained some amazing opportunities myself. 

i have enjoyed the upclose views of the little hatchlings in their wet yellow feathers.  watched those yellow feathers be filled in with the deep charcoals, greys and softest white down.  and just now seeing the beginnings of the translucent plum and green around the neck.  i've seen them go from cowering against the tyndal stone of the wall to hesitantly venturing into the open.  then in these past couple days, they've  begun to test their wings.  hopping from one foot to another fluttering every God given feather as they try to gain lift.  and finally, though barely reaching it, yet still they have - flown to the rail along the balcony's edge.  there they perch with claws struggling to keep their unsteady hold before they turn back around to try a wobbly flutter to the comfort of solid ground - balcony in this case.  almost big enough but not quite ready for freedom's flight. 

fascinating.  it's my daily exploration.  where are the babies?  what are they doing?  then stepping in to chase off offending larger doves that are interfering with the babies nest area.  both for the sake of the babies and preventing any further babies!  two has been enough of a nature lesson, thank you so much.

but it has had value also in recognizing the nature and necessity of process.  from the idea in the egg to the current stage of development has taken weeks.   nothing happened over nite.  yet the parents continue to hover over them, overseeing their every attempt and encouraging them in it.  they do this grasping thing with their beak on the young one's beak to pull them out further into the open.  then they flutter up onto the rail and soon the young one does too.  leading by example.  maybe that's where it comes from!  successfully too.  participating in that leading.

i don't know how much longer til the big leap off the rail, but i do know it will be in the fullness of time.  as with every advance in this development process.  as with all things when we allow H Sp to lead.  when H Sp is allowed to lead, things develop on and in time.  God knows ends from very beginnings.  and knows how to bring things to fulfillment.  initiating then fully participating in the process. 

the question is, are we willing to wait?  

are we willing to trust?