Saturday, Second Week of Lent

SATURDAY, SECOND WEEK OF LENT

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Psalm 103:1

To care means first of all to empty our own cup and allow the other to come close to us. It means to take away the many barriers which prevent us from entering into communion with the other. When we dare to care, we discover that nothing human is foreign to us, but that all the hatred and love, cruelty and compassion, fear and joy can be found in our own hearts. When we dare to care, we have to confess that when others kill, I could have killed too. When others torture, I could have done the same. When others heal, I could have healed too and when others give life, I could have done the same. Then we experience that we can be present to the soldier who kills, to the guard who pesters, to the young man who plays as if life has no end, and to the old man who stopped playing out of fear of death. By the honest recognition and confession of our human sameness we can participate in the care of God who came, not to the powerful but powerless, not to be different but the same, not to take our pain away but to share it. Through this participation we can open our hearts to each other and form a new community.

Today, I will spend at least two minutes meditating on the love of God for me and for the whole world. I will pray that the world comes to know God’s love. Then I will seek to make that love known by sharing it with those closest to me.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

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