Daily Meditation for Monday, 29 May 2017: "Jesus Is Pure of Heart" The Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Daily Meditation for Monday, 29 May 2017: "Jesus Is Pure of Heart" The Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Need a great book for the cottage?Love, Henri: Letters on the Spiritual Life is available at bookstores everywhere and online! DAILY MEDITATION: "Jesus Is Pure of Heart" Monday, 29 May 2017 Photo courtesy of V. Dobson Jesus, the Beloved of God, has a pure heart. Having a pure heart means willing one thing. Jesus wanted only to do the will of his heavenly Father. Whatever Jesus did or said, he did and said it as the obedient Son of God: "What I say is what the Father has taught me; he who sent me is with me, and has not left me to myself, for I always do what pleases him" (John 8:28-29). There are no divisions in Jesus' heart, no double motives or secret intentions. In Jesus there is complete inner unity because of his complete unity with God. Becoming like Jesus is growing into purity of heart. That purity is what gave Jesus and will give us true spiritual vision. For further reflection... "Your eye is the lamp of your body.  When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.  See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you." [Luke 11: 34-36 (NIV)] Your response... God loves you with single ­minded affection. You are free to love. Continue the Inspiration Purchase your copy of Henri Nouwen's book "Behold the Beauty of the Lord".

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Daily Meditation for Sunday, 28 May 2017: "Jesus Is Merciful" The Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

DAILY MEDITATION: "Jesus Is Merciful" Sunday, 28 May 2017 Photo courtesy of SDGimagery.com Jesus, the Blessed Child of God, is merciful. Showing mercy is different from having pity. Pity connotes distance, even looking down upon. When a beggar asks for money and you give him something out of pity, you are not showing mercy. Mercy comes from a compassionate heart; it comes from a desire to be an equal. Jesus didn't want to look down on us. He wanted to become one of us and feel deeply with us. When Jesus called the only son of the widow of Nain to life, he did so because he felt the deep sorrow of the grieving mother in his own heart (see Luke 7:11-17). Let us look at Jesus when we want to know how to show mercy to our brothers and sisters. For further reflection... Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.  The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing.  And they praised the God of Israel.  Jesus called his followers to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.  I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."  They answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"  "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.  "Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish."  He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied. [Matthew 15: 30-37 (NIV)] Your response... Who needs mercy in your web of relationships? Continue the Inspiration Purchase your copy of Henri Nouwen's book "The Genesee Diary".   Visit our Bookstore:United States | Canada | United Kingdom Consider our monthly giving program to sustain the ability to extend Henri's legacy and make his work available to those who seek spiritual formation and nourishment. Click here to sign up today. 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. STAY CONNECTED:

The Henri Nouwen Society 214 - 95 Saint Joseph Street Toronto, Ontario M5S 2R9, Canada

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