Lifesigns by Henri Nouwen

Author:Henri Nouwen [Nouwen, Henri J. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8041-5209-9
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2013-11-06T05:00:00+00:00

Severely handicapped people often sense the mood of their assistants and the atmosphere in their foyer with an uncanny accuracy. When there is harmony and peace in the house they are happy and content, but when there is conflict and tension in the air they often pick it up and act it out before their assistants are fully aware of it. They are true barometers of the human spirit. And, as one assistant said: “It is not always easy to live with people who so directly reveal to you your own ups and downs.”

Many who have worked for years with handicapped people will gladly say that they have received more than they have given. Sometimes they will even confess that they have found their true selves by working with the handicapped. Jean Vanier told me a story that symbolizes this beautifully. A few years ago, members of l’Arche made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. When they arrived at the heavily guarded airport in Israel, Jean-Claude, one of the handicapped men, walked right up to the armed Israeli soldiers and started to give each one a handshake, telling them how glad he was to have arrived in the Holy Land! Indeed, very broken people often allow us to see our true selves hidden behind our uniforms and rifles. They tell us that we are really brothers and sisters, and that arms and weapons do not tell the truth of who we are.

Handicapped people are very vulnerable. They cannot hide their weaknesses and are therefore easy victims of maltreatment and ridicule. But this same vulnerability also allows them to bear ample fruit in the lives of those who receive them. They are grateful people. They know they are dependent on others and show this dependence every moment; but their smiles, embraces, and kisses are offered as spontaneous expressions of thanks. They know that all is pure gift to be thankful for. They are people who need care. When they are locked up in custodial institutions and treated as nobodies, they withdraw and cannot bear fruit. They become overwhelmed by fears and close themselves to others. But when they are given a safe space, with truly caring people whom they can trust, they soon become generous givers who are willing to offer their whole hearts.

Handicapped people help us see the great mystery of fecundity. They pull us out of our competitive, production-oriented lives and remind us that we too are handicapped persons in need of love and care. They tell us in many ways that we too do not need to be afraid of our handicap, that we too can bear fruit as Jesus did when he offered his broken body to his Father.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.