Born in the Netherlands, Henri Nouwen
was a Catholic priest, psychologist, educator, and acclaimed spiritual
writer. He came to the United States in 1964, where his first book, Intimacy,
was published in 1969. A recent work, Life
of the Beloved, appeared in 1992.
The Wounded Healer is a
hope-filled and profoundly simple book that speaks directly
to those men and women who want to be of service in their
church or community, but have found the traditional ways
often threatening and ineffective. In this book, Henri
Nouwen combines creative case studies of ministry with
stories from diverse cultures and religious traditions in
preparing a new model for ministry. Weaving keen cultural
analysis with his psychological and religious insights,
Nouwen has come up with a balanced and creative theology of
service that begins with the realization of fundamental
woundedness in human nature.
The wisdom of Henri J.M. Nouwen:
SOLITUDE: "In solitude we become compassionate people,
deeply aware of our solidarity in brokenness with all of
humanity and ready to reach out to anyone in need . . ."
SILENCE: "Silence first makes us pilgrims. Secondly,
silence guards the fire within. Thirdly, silence teaches us
how to speak . . ."
PRAYER: "Prayer, when we are faithful to it and practice
it at regular times, slowly leads us to an experience of rest
and opens us to God's active presence . . ."
Can we drink the cup as Jesus did? Henri Nouwen not only
raises that question but also wrestles with it on every page.
With stories from his family life and his life with people
with mental disabilities he challenges us to drink our cup to
the bottom, thereby letting it become the cup of our
salvation. For those who have the courage to make Jesus'
question their own, Can You Drink the Cup? can be life
changing.
The
Way of the Heart
