Sunday, March 22, 2015

Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

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Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
 
Psalm 51:12 

Unconditional Love

An excerpt from Henri Nouwen's 
Home Tonight: Further Reflections on the Parable of the Prodigal Son


When we freely allow fear to dominate and change us, we live in misery far from our home of unconditional love.

 

Meanwhile Jesus, our example, says to the disciples and to us, "Don't be afraid. Perfect love casts out fear." He walked freely, lived freely, and carried on an intimate relationship with the One who sent him into the world. 

  

Throughout the nights or early mornings Jesus spent time communing with the One who loved him. Among his last words he tells us, "As the Father has loved me, so I also love you. . . . If you keep my word, the Father and I will come to you and we will make our home in you. . . . I will send you my Spirit, who will dwell with you forever, and will remind you of all I have said to you."

Jesus came to convince us that Our Maker's love is pure gift, unearned and free. 
We are free to relate with the Source of all life or not. A great love embraces all the love that you and I have ever known, from father, mother, spouses, brothers, sisters, children, teachers, friends, partners, or counselors.
 

Welcoming unconditional love automatically makes us more like the Unconditional Lover. Divine love lasts forever.  

 

 

Henri's Signature
  

Our Lenten Book Discussion Continues!
 

Join us during Lent as we reflect on Henri Nouwen's  The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming.  Facilitated by Brynn Lawrence and Ray Glennon. You are welcome to participate in any way that is spiritually nourishing for you!

READ  *  REFLECT  *  SHARE 
 

Excerpt from Home Tonight: Further Reflections on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Copyright © 2009 by The Henri Nouwen Legacy Trust. Published by Doubleday. Used with kind permission of the publisher. Scripture quotation from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America; selected by M. Wright.

 

Photo of Henri Nouwen by Frank Hamilton. Used with kind permission. Banner image by Sharon Sheehan; used with kind permission.

 

Additional Lenten Reading

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