Henri Nouwen Society - Daily Meditation

Wednesday July 31, 2013 

 

Jesus' Loneliness

 

When Jesus came close to his death, he no longer could experience God's presence.  He cried out:  "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  (Matthew 27:47).  Still in love he held on to the truth that God was with him and said:  "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit"  (Luke 23:46).

 

The loneliness of the cross led Jesus to the resurrection.  As we grow older we are often invited by Jesus to follow him into this loneliness, the loneliness in which God is too close to be experienced by our limited hearts and minds.  When this happens, let us pray for the grace to surrender our spirits to God as Jesus did.

 

- Henri J. M. Nouwen  

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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.