Thirty years ago I was a participant at one of the first Jubilee Program in Spiritual Direction cohorts. At the time I wa in my thirties, father to three young children, and lead minister of a very active downtown congregation with lots of administrative duties. I also yearned for the contemplative life for myself as a follower of Jesus, and wanted to support those members of my flock who were seeking the inner way.
I suppose it was a bit crazy to take on the demands of a rigorous program which included two residential stints but I made the commitment. We had a number of excellent presenters including a quiet spiritual superstar of that time, the late Dutch Catholic priest, Henri Nouwen. It seemed that everyone was reading his book The Wounded Healer and another book The Return of the Prodigal Son also became a bestseller. Nouwen left university teaching at Harvard and Yale as well as a high profile speaking circuit to live in a L"Arche community just north of Toronto. At Daybreak he came to a sense of self-acceptance and spiritual peace amidst those who are often at the margins of society because of their cognitve and physical challenges.He continued to write prolifically while there.
Nouwen spent part of a day with our Jubilee group and at lunch I noticed that he was sitting alone. I asked to join him and we chatted about my desire to stay focussed in Christ despite the often overwhelming realities of that stage of life. I honestly don't recall much of our conversation but I was reassured by his kindness and willingness to listen.
Two days ago marked the 25th anniversary of Henri's untimely death at the age of 64 due to a heart attack. After decades away from home he happened to be on the way to Russia to create a documentary about Rembrandt's painting The Return of the Prodigal Son and had stopped in the Netherlands to be with family. He is buried near Daybreak in Richmond Hill. He was a gift to the world.
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