Daily Meditation: Laying Down Your Life for Your Friends

Monday April 14, 2014 Laying Down Your Life for Your Friends Good Shepherds are willing to lay down their lives for their sheep (see John 10:11).   As spiritual leaders walking in the footsteps of Jesus, we are called to lay down our lives for our people.  This laying down might in special circumstances mean dying for others.  But it means first of all making our own lives - our sorrows and joys, our despair and hope, our loneliness and experience of intimacy - available to others as sources of new life. One of the greatest gifts we can give others is ourselves.  We offer consolation and comfort, especially in moments of crisis, when we say:  "Do not be afraid, I know what you are living and I am living it with you.  You are not alone."  Thus we become Christ-like shepherds.   We are now sending Weekly Lenten e-reflections. If you'd like to receive these weekly emails, click the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of this email or click here and enter your email address. You can also join our Lenten book discussion. Please click here for information. Comment on this Daily Meditation.   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson.

Forward this Daily Meditation to a friend! This email was sent to cbgamb@gmail.com, by email_lists@henrinouwen.org Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Henri Nouwen Society | PO Box 220522 | St. Louis | MO | 63122 | USA Henri Nouwen Society | John M. Kelly Library, 3rd Fl. | 113 St. Joseph Street | Toronto | ON | M5S 1J4 | Canada