Show Me the Way Daily Lenten Readings

I am grateful to the editors of this delightful book for giving us a new serving of Henri Nouwen's timeless writings. This is a book you will read again and again.

I tend to feel a bit hesitant about reading daily devotional-type compilations, especially when (as in the case of this book) the theme or argument does not necessarily flow or build upon itself from day to day. And, although Show Me The Way did not completely relieve me of these anxieties, I nevertheless appreciated and found significant merit in the time that I spent with it throughout this year's Lent. Each daily reading is compiled of a few poignant vignettes from one or more of Nouwen's books; and these selections are organized under a specific theme for the day, each day ending with a corresponding prayer. This format, I found, was a little difficult to get into at first simply because of the lack of continuity from one day's theme to the next. However, with repetition, the oft-reappearing message that the disciple's calling is to live in solidarity with the poor became a focal point of my forty-day Lenten meditation. Nouwen does an excellent job of indicating, without pretension or proselytism, that the nature of Christ's example compels us to poverty--to mimic his descent into the world in our own resignation of worldly securities. Though my diffidence toward daily devotional literature has not been entirely dispelled, I found this little book to be largely helpful and incredibly encouraging in the effort to focus my attention, during the weeks leading up to Easter, on Jesus and the implications of his passion and resurrection. I would be great for groups who might desire to meet regularly throughout Lent and discuss the topics and arguments it addresses. For me, I can easily foresee this book becoming a traditional companion to my annual Easter preparations.

The challenging journey of a major sickness and surgery and the solitude in hospital stay might have helped one's listening and gaining a renewed and deepened appreciation for Henri Nouwen's writings. The low-keyed compiler, F. Johna, name only given at Forward, has done an excellent job in selecting from diverse sources and woven choice pieces into apt themes for every day of Lent, with a quote at the beginning and meaningful prayer at the end. The new edition has a more attractive cover and format and a theme topic is given to each day. You wish to quote from every page. I'll just give a few examples. From 1st Sunday of Lent: "...true joy comes from letting God love me the way God wants, whether it is through illness or health, failure or success, poverty or wealth, rejection or praise. It is hard for me to say, 'I shall gratefully accept everything, Lord, that pleases you. Let your will be done.' But I know when I believe my Father is pure love, it will become increasingly possible to say these words from the heart." What a gift to live in the conviction that "my Father is pure love" no matter what! He ends encouraging people to pray often and make our own Charles de Foucauld's Prayer of Abandonment. (All so similar to St Ignatius of Loyola's "Take and Receive".) But he cautions that we cannot realize this prayer through our own effort, only through the spirit of Jesus. The Eucharist is so central in Nouwen's spirituality. From 2nd Sunday of Lent: "When we eat bread and drink wine together in memory of Christ, we BECOME his life and are thus enabled to represent his life in our time and place." From 3rd Sunday of Lent: "It is this, the enemy-loving love of God, that is offered to us in the Eucharist. To forgive our enemies doesn't lie within our power. That is a divine gift. That's why it's so important to make the Eucharist the heart and center of your life. It's there that you receive the love which empowers you to take the way that Jesus has taken before you: a narrow way, a painful way, but the way that gives you true joy and peace and enables you to make the non-violent love of God visible in this world." The ongoing spiritual conversion, esp. during Lent, is not one of personal effort and achievement, though there is the need for spiritual discipline. Growth in surrendering oneself, forgiveness, compassion and love all stem from being loved, united with Jesus, to live because of the Father as beloved sons and daughters. One will suffer from indigestion to read any of Nouwen's numerous books from cover to cover at one sitting. So daily meditation over these choice selections not only nourishes the spirit during Lent, but throughout the year.

The late henri Nouwen, of blessed memory, was one of the mostinfluential spiritual writers of the last century .His writings are rarely academic,and often are quite personal. Therse selections are taken from many of Fr Nouwens writings, put together with the appropriate scipture reading of the day, and concluded with a prayer from Fr nouwen. Two pages long each day, this book has been a faithful companion the last 3 lenten seasons for me. Nouwens own foibles make all the more poignant the struggles he expresses during Lent. Powerful reading from a good great man.

I've used this book for the last three Lenten seasons, and it just gets better each year. Each day's text is very short, usually less than 2 pages, so I don't ever feel that I just don't have time to read it. Even though the meditations are short, every day's reading is filled with challenges for me to become closer to God, and to find, as Nouwen puts it, the 'descending way'. This year I purchased three more copies of this book to share with friends for their Lenten meditations.