Earlier this month Jean Vanier celebrated his 90th birthday and shared his reflections in this fifteen minute video reflection offering “ten rules for life.”
He has given his life to service of the intellectually disabled with his L’Arche communities found throughout the world.
Jean Vanier is a wise man, a good man and a holy man, and I was happy to take time to listen to his advice. In a couple of his pointers he addresses men in particular…
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Most people think of the Ascension of Jesus as being a ‘departure’ moment. Jesus was here and now he is gone. We imagine Jesus going up into the clouds and the disciples waving farewell from below.
This is an unhelpful image.
It is essential that we understand what does happen and what does not happen in the Ascension event.
It would be easy to wrongly think that in his ministry showed us how to build the city of God on earth, and now he has gone and the mission is left to us.
A few years ago I was on Rēkohu Chatham Islands for what has become one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most sacred days, the ANZAC day of remembrance in gratitude for those who gave their lives, their health, their youth, their service that we may live in peace.
The art above was produced by one of the students at the local Te One school.
A good number of Food For Faith readers have discovered one of the more recent FFF initiatives, the weekly Homily Studio.
The recording of this half-hour podcast is one of the highlights of my week.
Today’s reflection marks the end of the FFF Lent-to-Easter daily email posts. Thank you for your company on this journey. While these daily posts (for those who have signed up for the Lent / Advent reflections at this link) will take a break until Advent, those who have signed up to receive every post or regular posts at this link. You might take a moment now to visit this page now to check your email preferences.
During retreat this week I found myself pondering just how difficult it is to accept that God, in Jesus, is really with me today.
As I write I’m nearing the end of retreat days with a group of fifty priests from across the USA. As I mentioned a couple of days ago the diversity and youth of the group is remarkable with the majority being aged under 40 and a good number ordained for fewer than five years.
I have longed to meet Jean Vanier for many years … thank you for your remarkable gift, Father John.
God bless you for the difference you make in our lives,
Virginia.
The cellist Pablo Casals once said, “The main thing in life is not to be afraidto be human.” What a beautiful example of the wholeness of humanity we have in Jean Vanier.. He reveals that when people are fully human they are they are very close to God. This talk has been a feast that will give permanent nourishment.