17 February 2019

 

Amis letter 02/07

 

Henry Nouwen

 

Dear Amis

 

Henri Nouwen is one of the more recent “friends” we meet.

He was still alive when many of us were born – died 1996.

Yet, his thoughts and ideas are still with us through the many books he had left us. He had such an impact on many students who were taught by him.

Even today his thoughts are still so relevant

because it echoes truth and love

as spoken by Another One as well.

 

We leave – after having “met” Henri, or being introduced to him – with his thoughts on love and forgiveness

 

“It seems crucial that you realize deeply

that your worth and value does not depend on anyone else.

You have to claim your own inner truth.

You are a person worth being loved

and called to give love,

not because anyone says so…

but because you are created out of love

and live in the embrace of a God

who didn’t hesitate to send his only son to die for us…

Your being good and worthy of love

does not depend on any human being.

You have to keep saying to yourself:

 “I am being loved by an unconditional, unlimited love

and that love allows me to be a free person,

center of my own actions and decisions.”

The more you can come to realize this,

the more you will be able to forgive

those who have hurt you and love them in their brokenness.

Without a deep feeling of self-respect,

you cannot forgive and will always feel anger,

resentment, and revenge.

 The greatest human act is forgiveness:

“Forgive us our sins,

 as we forgive those who have sinned against us.”

Forgiveness stands in the center of God’s love for us

and also in the center of our love for each other.

Loving one another means forgiving one another

over and over

again.

 

With kind thoughts

 

Jan

 

 

Ð

 

To ponder on…

 

Have you ever forgiven anyone for something?

 

Have you ever been forgiven?

 

A friend of my recently wrote the following poem:

 

It is a choice

we make

whom we hate

and whom we

forgive

That choice is

the story

of

your life