This Week's Quotation:
Community is first of all a quality of the heart. It grows from the spiritual knowledge that we are alive not for ourselves, but for one another.
~ Henri Nouwen
Community of the Heart
Rev. Berry Behr, Global Interfaith Ambassador
Henri Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest, professor, and theologian who died in 1996. He wrote prolifically on the psychology of faith, pastoral ministry, spirituality, social justice, and community. Many of Fr. Nouwen’s lessons in community came after he left an illustrious teaching career to serve at L’Arche in Ontario, Canada. L’Arche (The Ark) is an international network of communities providing safety and support for people with mental and developmental challenges.
After celebrated academic tenures at Harvard Divinity School, Yale Divinity School, and the University of Notre Dame, Fr. Nouwen learned in the community of L’Arche that what makes a human person human is that incredible capacity to give and receive love.
I thought about Fr. Nouwen when I got lost in an unfamiliar town. Because I have an unshakable belief in the innate goodness of people, I trusted a person who thought it funny to misdirect me. Afterward, I felt bad for being so gullible. Another kindly person helped me to the right road, and again, I trusted implicitly in their honourable intentions. This time I was rewarded.
Was I wrong to trust? A Sikh friend wrote an article about restoring faith and love to the world. He explained that to re-ignite the memory of love and peace in jaded hearts, we must carry the flame of love with absolute conviction and deep trust. His words felt like a Divine answer.
There are examples of separation and fear-based destruction wherever we look. It’s easy to get caught up in those. It’s tempting to withhold love in a world that doesn’t feel safe enough for deep trust, vulnerability, and authenticity. Yet, deep inside, we know that with the courage of our own convictions and our solid attunement with the Source of our Being, we can change the patterns of mistrust. We are building a true community of the heart.
About Open Windows
We, the authors of this blog, dedicate it to the transparent exploration of the world’s sacred scripture and enlightened spiritual thought. We believe that the original inspiration of all faiths comes from a common source, named and revered in a myriad of ways. With that understanding, the innumerable symbols, beliefs, and practices of faith cease to divide. They become open windows to a common reality that inspires and unifies us. We find deeper insight and nourishment in our own faith and from the expression of faith from others.
We hope these weekly quotations and meditations speak to your heart and soul.
Go Henri! Go Berry! Here’s to building a community of the heart! Love, Tom
Dear Rev. Berry – Yes!!!! Yet, deep inside, we know that with the courage of our own convictions and our solid attunement with the Source of our Being, we can change the patterns of mistrust. We are building a true community of the heart.
Thanks, Berry, for the consistent expression of Love that you bring. Surely this will, as you put it, change the patterns of mistrust. Far better to simply let Love flow, knowing that any resistance to it will eventually dissipate.