Saturday, March 28, 2015

Daily Meditation: Where Mourning and Dancing Touch Each Other

Henri Nouwen Society - Daily Meditation
Where Mourning and Dancing Touch Each Other

"[There is] a time for mourning, a time for dancing" (Ecclesiastes 3:4).  But mourning and dancing are never fully separated.  Their "times" do not necessarily follow each other.  In fact, their "times" may become one "time."  Mourning may turn into dancing and dancing into mourning without showing a clear point where one ends and the other starts.

Often our grief allows us to choreograph our dance while our dance creates the space for our grief.  We lose a beloved friend, and in the midst of our tears we discover an unknown joy.  We celebrate a success, and in the midst of the party we feel deep sadness.  Mourning and dancing, grief and laughter, sadness and gladness - they belong together as the sad-faced clown and the happy-faced clown, who make us both cry and laugh.  Let's trust that the beauty of our lives becomes visible where mourning and dancing touch each other. 

- Henri J. M. Nouwen 

For further reflection ...

His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way?  While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"  He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept.  I thought, 'Who knows?  The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.'  But now that he is dead, why should I fast?  Can I bring him back again?  I will go to him, but he will not return to me."  Then David comforted his wife... - 2 Samuel 12: 21-24 (NIV)
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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. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.
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