Daily Meditation: Being Safe Places for Others. From Henri Nouwen

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Wednesday December 28, 2011         Being Safe Places for Others   When we are free from the need to judge or condemn, we can become safe places for people to meet in vulnerability and take down the walls that separate them.   Being deeply rooted in the love of God, we cannot help but invite people to love one another.  When people realise that we have no hidden agendas or unspoken intentions, that we are not trying to gain any profit for ourselves, and that our only desire is for peace and reconciliation, they may find the inner freedom and courage to leave their guns at the door and enter into conversation with their enemies.   Many times this happens even without our planning.  Our ministry of reconciliation most often takes place when we ourselves are least aware of it.  Our simple, nonjudgmental presence does it.     Comment on this Daily Meditation.    Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson.

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What "occupues" my thoughts for the New Year!

This vacation has been my first real downtime from work in about a year.  It's been good to be with family in a part of the country where I once lived and may live in again.  Most of all it's given me some good distance from my social justice activities.  As I've explained the Occupy movement, Rebuild the Dream and other efforts to family, it only serves to make clearer in my mind that now is the time for us to act -- to WAKE UP as a recent post has said.  Political "business as usual" was not working.  As we go back into this new year, we need to empower ourselves, and especially our young people to act to clean up the mess made by previous generation.  This is not an indictment of these generations but simply seeing things as they are.  As we return to our fields of labor in this new year, I hope we resume the movement forward to fix our world and take care of all of our people!  

I am glad to see next steps for the Occupy movement and the other movements taking form, including those mentioned above.  "Occupy Foreclosure" is a good example.   

It's important to not let this awakening be marginalized by those who wish to dismiss it as the work of a "few malcontents too lazy to get a job".  It's also important not to let others appropriate these efforts for their own reasons good or bad.  This includes allowing violence or anarchism for the sake of anarchy.

Finally, we in the movement need to listen to all who show up.  We are coming off a tremendous period of world apathy.  People in these movements locally and nationally have taken the time to show up and protest and in some cases camp.  If people show up and ask to help, LET THEM!  Do not dismiss those who have jobs, and those who may have some means but still want to effect change.  I heop to join this discussion when i get back to town.

Here are my hopes for a happy and active and blessed New Year where we may see progress for everyone, especially those in the"99%" world wide.

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Daily Meditation: The Peaceable Kingdom From Henri Nouwen

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here Saturday December 10, 2011            The Peaceable Kingdom  All of creation belongs together in the arms of its Creator.  The final vision is that not only will all men and women recognise that they are brothers and sisters called to live in unity but all members of God's creation will come together in complete harmony.  Jesus the Christ came to realise that vision.  Long before he was born, the prophet Isaiah saw it: The wolf will live with the lamb, the panther lie down with the kid, calf, lion and fat-stock beast together, with a little boy to lead them. The cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like the ox. The infant will play over the den of the adder; the baby will put his hand into the viper's lair. No hurt, no harm will be done on all my holy mountain, for the country will be full of knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9) We must keep this vision alive.   Comment on this Daily Meditation. Please join us for our Advent book discussion on Lifesigns.   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Psalms from The Psalms, A New Translation ©1963 The Grail (England) published by Collins. Photo by V. Dobson. Forward this Daily Meditation to a friend! This email was sent to drben54@sbcglobal.net, by email_lists@henrinouwen.org Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Henri Nouwen Society | P.O. Box 230523, Ansonia Station | New York | NY | 10023 | USA Henri Nouwen Society | John M. Kelly Library, 3rd Fl. | 113 St. Joseph Street | Toronto | ON | M5S 1J4 | Canada

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