The Henri Houwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with Father Henri J. M. Nouwen DAILY MEDITATION "Eucharist, the Sacrament of Communion" for Friday, 30 September 2016.

Photo courtesy of SDGimagery.com
The Henri Houwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with Father Henri J. M. Nouwen DAILY MEDITATION "Eucharist, the Sacrament of Communion" for Friday, 30 September 2016.
Baptism opens the door to the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the sacrament through which Jesus enters into an intimate, permanent communion with us. It is the sacrament of the table. It is the sacrament of food and drink. It is the sacrament of daily nurture. While baptism is a once-in-a-lifetime event, the Eucharist can be a monthly, weekly, or even daily occurrence. Jesus gave us the Eucharist as a constant memory of his life and death. Not a memory that simply makes us think of him but a memory that makes us members of his body. That is why Jesus on the evening before he died took bread saying, "This is my Body," and took the cup saying, "This is my Blood." By eating the Body and drinking the Blood of Christ, we become one with him.

For further reflection...
You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom...[Luke 22:28-30a (NIV)]
Your response...
Christ lives in you. How will you experience that afresh today?

Continue the Inspiration
Purchase your copy of Henri Nouwen's book "With Burning Hearts".
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Photo courtesy of SDGimagery.comThe Henri Houwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with Father Henri J. M. Nouwen DAILY MEDITATION "Baptism, a Call to Commitment" for Thursday, 29 September 2016.
Baptism as a way to the freedom of the children of God and as a way to a life in community calls for a personal commitment. There is nothing magical or automatic about this sacrament. Having water poured over us while someone says, "I baptise you in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," has lasting significance when we are willing to claim and reclaim in all possible ways the spiritual truth of who we are as baptised people.
In this sense baptism is a call to parents of baptised children and to the baptised themselves to choose constantly for the light in the midst of a dark world and for life in the midst of a death-harbouring society.

For further reflection...
But if we walk in the light , as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.[1 John 1: 7 (NIV)]
Your response...
Have you ever made the kind of commitment Nouwen speaks of ­­or would you like to renew that?
Continue the Inspiration
Purchase your copy of Henri Nouwen's book "The Return of the Prodigal Son".
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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. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.
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