Henri Nouwen's rich passage for today creates a little map for us...a map with two destinations in mind.
The first is the knowing of God through God's choice to come to us as a servant, that is seeing God in Jesus' role as a servant. The second destination on the map is that of knowing God through acting as our own most compassionate selves. That is, embracing personal and generous compassion as a "joyful way of life in which our eyes are openend to the vision of a true God who chose the way of servanthood himself."
We often think of servanthood as a burden, one we accept by our desire to help the needful and perhaps change the world, or as a burden we accept because we "should."
Here Nouwen invites us into a Lenten perspective that is fresh and exciting. Here we are reminded that " the poor are not blessed because poverty is good, but beacuse theirs is the kingdom of heaven; the mourners are called blessed not because mourning is good, but beacuse they shall be comforted."
"Here we are touching the profound spiritual truth that service is an expression of the search for God and not just the desire bring about individual or social change."
As we face the St. Alban's Compassion Cross and make our Lenten choices for servanthood...let's take Henri's map in hand looking for God in all our choices.
blessings, and thanks,
Tim+
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