M
Mark_Blackburn
Guest
Anyone here like to begin their mornings with the ‘thought-for-the-day’ yearbooks of Henri Nouwen and Mother Teresa? Universal heroes and those ‘day books’ are simply the best ever written!
Today at the world’s biggest web site, Amazon.com I used a review that I wrote for the one — Henri Nouwen’s “Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom & Faith” to reference the other, Mother Teresa’s “The Joy in Loving” – both published eight years ago . . . and unsurpassed in what they have to offer us.
The URL to my review is
amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060663766/qid=1106095649/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/002-3958691-4044808
Something Nouwen said in his introduction is just so poignant, I wanted to share it with those here who may not be familiar with this book of 366 reflections (Feb 29 – I had to think about it too!)
“I didn’t plan to write about Jesus. I felt the book should be written in the Spirit of Jesus but not alienate those for whom the Name of Jesus was a stumbling block. I wanted to please everybody! But my pen told me differently. After having written a whole blank notebook about general themes I found myself writing about Jesus, the center of my faith. And then, to my surprise, I was asking myself, How do we become connected with Jesus? Soon I found myself writing about Word and Sacrament. But where are they held? In the Church. I had never before written about the Church! It seemed an unsafe subject to talk about, but here I was breaking through my own fears and apprehensions. The questions became, Where is the Church supposed to lead us? What about death, the resurrection, the communion of saints, heaven, hell, the second coming of Christ, and the end of times? I shivered thinking about it all! But my pen said, “Don’t be afraid. Your notebooks are happy to hear what you think about it all.” And so I wrote, faster and faster. But the time December came, I had written 387 reflections. When I started rereading them all, I realized that I had used (this) yearbook to express my faith and write my own creed!”
If I were wealthy I’d buy you all a copy of this book – it’s that wonderful! If you can afford it, buy Mother Teresa’s as well. My wife and I read from both treasuries each day. And give thanks for the light that shines out from every page.
Mark Blackburn
Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
Today at the world’s biggest web site, Amazon.com I used a review that I wrote for the one — Henri Nouwen’s “Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom & Faith” to reference the other, Mother Teresa’s “The Joy in Loving” – both published eight years ago . . . and unsurpassed in what they have to offer us.
The URL to my review is
amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060663766/qid=1106095649/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/002-3958691-4044808
Something Nouwen said in his introduction is just so poignant, I wanted to share it with those here who may not be familiar with this book of 366 reflections (Feb 29 – I had to think about it too!)
“I didn’t plan to write about Jesus. I felt the book should be written in the Spirit of Jesus but not alienate those for whom the Name of Jesus was a stumbling block. I wanted to please everybody! But my pen told me differently. After having written a whole blank notebook about general themes I found myself writing about Jesus, the center of my faith. And then, to my surprise, I was asking myself, How do we become connected with Jesus? Soon I found myself writing about Word and Sacrament. But where are they held? In the Church. I had never before written about the Church! It seemed an unsafe subject to talk about, but here I was breaking through my own fears and apprehensions. The questions became, Where is the Church supposed to lead us? What about death, the resurrection, the communion of saints, heaven, hell, the second coming of Christ, and the end of times? I shivered thinking about it all! But my pen said, “Don’t be afraid. Your notebooks are happy to hear what you think about it all.” And so I wrote, faster and faster. But the time December came, I had written 387 reflections. When I started rereading them all, I realized that I had used (this) yearbook to express my faith and write my own creed!”
If I were wealthy I’d buy you all a copy of this book – it’s that wonderful! If you can afford it, buy Mother Teresa’s as well. My wife and I read from both treasuries each day. And give thanks for the light that shines out from every page.
Mark Blackburn
Winnipeg Manitoba Canada