A little background on Henri Nouwen (1932-1996).
Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest, psychologist, professor and author of more than 20 books. He is best known among Christian counselors (and pastors, too) for The Wounded Healer, a book about living with our brokenness under God’s blessing. He points to Christ’s message of unconditional love and hope, emphasizing our common woundedness and brokenness, and how our sufferings serve as a source of strength and healing for each other. This book was important to me, as there was a time I was convinced that I could not be a counselor outside of being completely mature and healed!

Nouwen observes that many people do not think they are loved or held safe. Suffering to them (and them is me!) is seen as an affirmation of their worthlessness. He offers Christ’s peace through learning to live with brokenness under God’s blessing, or in new creation, as opposed to remaining largely in the misery of the curse – or from depravity to dignity as I hear it said at my school. Glorious ruins! (that’s from Francis Schaeffer).

In The Return of the Prodigal Son: a Story of Homecoming, Nouwen takes a chance encounter with Rembrandt’s painting of the same title on a spiritual journey. Here is a quote from the back cover: "The themes of homecoming, affirmation and reconciliation will be newly discovered by all who have known loneliness, dejection, jealousy or anger."

Like Nouwen in his book, I have noticed more and more how I have become more of an observer than a participant on the spiritual journey. Spending years teaching, retreat leading, and counseling others on the topic of brokenness, I identify with Nouwen, "but had I, myself, really ever dared to step into the center, kneel down, and let myself be held by a forgiving God?"

It doesn’t take academic training to see the fallen world through the eyes of God’s redeeming love. But, as I have said already, perhaps a good Detox might help! Smile! Ridding and returning – or is it returning and ridding.

In the prologue, Nouwen relates:

Each little step toward the center [of the painting] seemed like an impossible demand, a demand requiring me to let go one more time from wanting to be in control, to give up one more time the desire to predict life, to die one more time to the fear of not knowing where it all will lead, and to surrender one more time to a love that knows no limits.... I would never be able to live the great commandment to love without allowing myself to be loved without conditions or prerequisites. The journey from teaching about love to allowing myself to be loved proved much longer than I realized (p. 14).”

Here is the gospel: God is for us! With Nouwen I am convicted that "truly accepting love, forgiveness and healing is often much harder than giving it. It is the place beyond earning, deserving and rewarding. It is the place of surrender and complete trust."