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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Daily Meditation: Acting in the Name of Jesus

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Friday November 18, 2011      Acting in the Name of Jesus  Ministry is acting in the Name of Jesus.  When all our actions are in the Name, they will bear fruit for eternal life.  To act in the Name of Jesus, however, doesn't mean to act as a representative of Jesus or his spokesperson.  It means to act in an intimate communion with him.  The Name is like a house, a tent, a dwelling.  To act in the Name of Jesus, therefore, means to act from the place where we are united with Jesus in love.  To the question "Where are you?" we should be able to answer, "I am in the Name."  Then, whatever we do cannot be other than ministry because it will always be Jesus himself who acts in and through us.  The final question for all who minister is "Are you in the Name of Jesus?""  When we can say yes to that, all of our lives will be ministry.   Comment on this Daily Meditation. Our Advent book discussion on Lifesigns begins November 20th. Please join us!   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.

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Daily Meditation: Focusing on the Poor by Henri Nouwen

Current and to the point given the situation in the USA today.

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Monday October 31, 2011   Focusing on the Poor  Like every human organization the Church is constantly in danger of corruption.  As soon as power and wealth come to the Church, manipulation, exploitation, misuse of influence, and outright corruption are not far away. How do we prevent corruption in the Church? The answer is clear:  by focusing on the poor.  The poor make the Church faithful to its vocation.  When the Church is no longer a church for the poor, it loses its spiritual identity.  It gets caught up in disagreements, jealousy, power games, and pettiness.  Paul says,  "God has composed the body so that greater dignity is given to the parts which were without it, and so that there may not be disagreements inside the body but each part may be equally concerned for all the others" (1 Corinthians 12:24-25).  This is the true vision.  The poor are given to the Church so that the Church as the body of Christ can be and remain a place of mutual concern, love, and peace.   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. Psalms from The Psalms, A New Translation ©1963 The Grail (England) published by Collins. Photo by V. Dobson.

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Who Do We Want to Become? Remembering Forward Ten Years after 9/11 | The Civil Conversations Project [OnBeing.org]

Well worth the listen!

http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/ccp-911/

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Just like that, things can change.

Just like that, things can change. I got the call from a friend yesterday morning. “I have cancer” said my mentor and friend, “And I need your help.”

On Wednesday I had learned that my Chaplain’s classes were moved from October to January and I was planning a trip back East and camping for the fall. I had signed up to be a delegate at a convention in mid-October. But with those words “I need your help” I didn't think twice about moving things around.

In October 1998, while I was in Boston, and again in 2001 here in California, I needed to make similar calls when I was diagnosed with Lymphoma, and when the lymphoma relapsed 3 years later requiring a bone marrow transplant. I had to ask a lot of people for help then. In 2001, I’d been in California less than 2 years, and the relationship I’d moved here for had ended. I was on my own. I called my family, the nearest of whom lived 1500 miles away, and the furthest 4500 miles away in the UK. I also called a friend in Boston who dropped everything and came to be my caregiver through the worst part of the Bone Marrow Transplant process. Before I was through, my family and my best friends had all come to California to help me move and spend time with me when I got out of the hospital.

10 years later I’m healthy. But three times since, I've gotten the call: “I have cancer, and I need your help”. And without thinking I knew what I needed to do each time. I would move my schedule around and see how I could help.

The events of 9/11 happened towards the end of my recuperation from the transplant. I was not yet back to work, having left Stanford for a new apartment in Davis only 5 days before. So many people lost there lives that day, two of whom I had worked with. A third survived escaping from the WTC down a flight of stairs. He’s never been able to work again and is on disability.

During my recuperation, and especially after 9/11 I realized that my survival from Stage IV cancer was a gift, and I wanted to use the time I’d been given helping others.

10 years later, this call comes just as we are getting ready for the 10-year anniversary of our nation’s tragedy on 9/11. I know I have to help, and get others also to help.

On the anniversary of these awful events, I think best memorial we can give for those we lost that day, is look around us for those who need our help. Then hold out our hands and lift them up.

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Daily Meditation: Healing Letters - by Henri Nouwen

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Sunday September 4, 2011                              Healing Letters  When you write a very angry letter to a friend who has hurt you deeply, don't send it!  Let the letter sit on your table for a few days and read it over a number of times.  Then ask yourself:  "Will this letter bring life to me and my friend?  Will it bring healing, will it bring a blessing?"   You don't have to ignore the fact that you are deeply hurt.  You don't have to hide from your friend that you feel offended.  But you can respond in a way that makes healing and forgiveness possible and opens the door for new life.   Rewrite the letter if you think it does not bring life, and send it with a prayer for your friend.  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. Psalms from The Psalms, A New Translation ©1963 The Grail (England) published by Collins. Photo by K. Smith.

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