(no subject)
today im going to quote some lines from a book i just finished reading today. its called "can you drink the cup" by henri nouwen. if you ever get the chance, read it. read anything by this man becauase he is freaking awesome and probably in my top 3 authors of all time.
"and what it the reward of it all? John and James' mother wanted a concrete reward: "Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom"(matt 20.21) SHe and they had little doubt about what they wanted. they were preparing themselves for a signifigant role when the Roman occupiers would be thrown out and Jesus would be king and have his own cabinet of ministers. they wanted to be his right-and left-hand men in the new political order.
Still, notwithstanding all their misperceptions, they had been deeply touched by this man Jesus. In his prescence they had experienced something radically new, something that went beyond anything they had ever imagined. It had to do with inner freedom, love, care, hope, and most of all, with God. Yes, they wanted power and influence, but beyond that they wanted to stay close to Jesus at all costs. As their journey continued, they gradually discovered what they had said yes to. they heard about being a servant instead of a master, about seeking the last place instead of the first, about giving up their lives instead of controlling them other people's lives. Each time they had to make a choice again. Did they want to stay with Jesus or leave? Did they want to follow the way of Jesus or look for someone else who could give them the powere they desired?"
"Drinking the cup is not a heroic act with a nice reward! it is no part of a tit-for-tat agreement. Drinking the cup is an act of selfless love, an act of immense trust, an act of surrender to a God who will give what we need when we need it.
"Jesus' iniviting us to drink the cup without offering the reward we expect is the great challenge of the spirtiual life. It breaks through all human calculations and expectations. it defies all our wishes to be sure in advance. It turns our hope upside down and pulls down our self-invented safety devices. it asks for the most radical trust in God, the same trust that made Jesus drink the cup to the bottom."
"Drinking the cup Jesus drank is living a life in and with the spirit of Jesus, which is the spirit of unconditional love. THe intimacy between Jesus and Abba, his father, is an intimacy of complete trust, in which there are no power games, no mutually agreed upon promises, no advance gurantees. it is only love-pure, unrestrained, and unlimited love. Completey open, completely free. That intimacy gave Jesus the strength to drink his cup. That same intimacy Jesus wants to give us so that we can drink ours. That intimacy has a name, a divine name. It is called the Holy Spirit. Living a spiritual life is living a life which the Holy Spirit will guide us and give us the strength and courage to keep saying yes to the great question.
"and what it the reward of it all? John and James' mother wanted a concrete reward: "Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom"(matt 20.21) SHe and they had little doubt about what they wanted. they were preparing themselves for a signifigant role when the Roman occupiers would be thrown out and Jesus would be king and have his own cabinet of ministers. they wanted to be his right-and left-hand men in the new political order.
Still, notwithstanding all their misperceptions, they had been deeply touched by this man Jesus. In his prescence they had experienced something radically new, something that went beyond anything they had ever imagined. It had to do with inner freedom, love, care, hope, and most of all, with God. Yes, they wanted power and influence, but beyond that they wanted to stay close to Jesus at all costs. As their journey continued, they gradually discovered what they had said yes to. they heard about being a servant instead of a master, about seeking the last place instead of the first, about giving up their lives instead of controlling them other people's lives. Each time they had to make a choice again. Did they want to stay with Jesus or leave? Did they want to follow the way of Jesus or look for someone else who could give them the powere they desired?"
"Drinking the cup is not a heroic act with a nice reward! it is no part of a tit-for-tat agreement. Drinking the cup is an act of selfless love, an act of immense trust, an act of surrender to a God who will give what we need when we need it.
"Jesus' iniviting us to drink the cup without offering the reward we expect is the great challenge of the spirtiual life. It breaks through all human calculations and expectations. it defies all our wishes to be sure in advance. It turns our hope upside down and pulls down our self-invented safety devices. it asks for the most radical trust in God, the same trust that made Jesus drink the cup to the bottom."
"Drinking the cup Jesus drank is living a life in and with the spirit of Jesus, which is the spirit of unconditional love. THe intimacy between Jesus and Abba, his father, is an intimacy of complete trust, in which there are no power games, no mutually agreed upon promises, no advance gurantees. it is only love-pure, unrestrained, and unlimited love. Completey open, completely free. That intimacy gave Jesus the strength to drink his cup. That same intimacy Jesus wants to give us so that we can drink ours. That intimacy has a name, a divine name. It is called the Holy Spirit. Living a spiritual life is living a life which the Holy Spirit will guide us and give us the strength and courage to keep saying yes to the great question.