Friday, March 3, 2023

Called to bless others (Henri Nouwen)


   It is remarkable how easy it is to bless others, to speak good things to and about them, to call forth their beauty and truth, when you yourself are in touch with your own blessedness. The blessed one always blesses. And people want to be blessed! This is so apparent wherever you go. No one is brought to life through curses, gossip, accusations, or blaming. There is so much taking place around us all the time. And it calls forth only darkness, destruction, and death. As the blessed ones, we can walk through this world and offer blessings. It doesn’t require much effort. It flows naturally from our hearts. When we hear within ourselves the voice calling us by name and blessing us, the darkness no longer distracts us. The voice that calls us the Beloved will give us words to bless others and reveal to them that they are no less blessed than we. 

--Henri Nouwen

Image source: Abram, Called to Be a Blessing, illustration (1906), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abram_Called_To_Be_a_Blessing.jpg
Quotation source

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