The Life Breath of God
Perhaps the challenge of the gospel lies precisely in the invitation to accept a gift for which we can give nothing in return. For the gift is the life breath of God, the Spirit poured out on us through Jesus Christ. This life breath frees us from fear and gives us new room to live. Those who live prayerfully are constantly ready to receive the breath of God and to let their lives be renewed and expanded. Those who never pray, on the contrary, are like children with asthma: because they are short of breath, the whole world shrivels up before them. They creep into a corner gasping for air and are virtually in agony. But those who pray open themselves to God and can breathe freely again. They stand upright, stretch out their hands and come out of their corner, free to move about without fear.
Henri Nouwen, from With Open Hands
Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-1996) was one of the leading spiritual writers of the 20th century. He was the author of The Wounded Healer, Making All Things New, Reaching Out, and many other bestsellers. He was the senior pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Toronto, Canada — a community where men and women with mental disabilities and their assistants create a home for one another.