I really enjoy reading Henri Nouwen. this book was a bit different than I expected. I thought that I would read information on the importance of having a personal spiritual director and meeting with them. This book was more in that it described the need for steps to take prior to seeking a single spiritual director. Word, Pray, Solitude and community. I liked part 3 the best on look to others in community. an important part on Forgiveness page 119: Forgiveness means that I continually am willing to forgive the other person for not fulfilling all of my needs and desires.
another noted page 131: Ministry is not something that requires professional credentials......ministry isn't something you do for certain hours during the day and then you come home and relax at night.......Ministry is the overflow of your love for God and others.
page 132: Ministry is not meant to be done alone but in community...... Ministry is a communal and mutual experience.

As a young seminarian and pastor, I was profoundly affected by a book written by this psychologist, professor, and priest. As an old geezer, I was inspired by another book by the same author--an individual who practiced what he "priest" in that he left a prestigious position at Harvard and ended up fulfilled by ministering to a handful of mentally challenged individuals--trading influence on millions to influence on less than 10.

I suppose the secret can be found in a story he tells about talking to a trapeze artist whom he had enjoyed. This gracious priest seems to have gone all fan-boy on the trapeze artist and the following is what he learned:

“As a flyer, I must have complete trust in my catcher. The public might think that I am the great star of the trapeze, but the real star is Joe, my catcher. He has to be there for me with split-second precision and grab me out of the air as I come to him in the long jump. The secret is that the flyer does nothing and the catcher does everything.” (pp. 148-9) “The worst thing the flyer can do is to try to catch the catcher. If I grab Joe’s wrists, I might break them, or he might break mine, and that would be the end of both of us.” (p. 148)

There is the authentic Christian life in parable. As a believer, I can do nothing, but my catcher can and has done everything. God as Jesus caught all my sins when I could do nothing about them. God as Spirit catches all my opportunities and potential and allows me to do the kinds of flips and jumps that enable me to experience the exhilaration of Christian life.

Henri Nouwen was never afraid to share out of his weakness in order to challenge some of us to get past our own weaknesses. Late in the book, he confesses to the following experience. He went to a psychiatrist after a friend betrayed him and sent him into deep depression. The psychiatrist said that he had gotten too deeply involved with this friend and that it would take about six months of grieving to get over it. The psychiatrist said he should never see the person again and dismissed his neurosis as being about a 2 on a scale of 10. To which Nouwen responded: “I’m not going to keep seeing you. You have me all figured out, my pain is all so simple to you, and I’m not going to see you anymore.” (pp. 121-2) He went on to say that he knew that forgiveness and reconciliation was the only way that he was going to get past all he was going through.

Early in the book, he told of complaining to Mother Teresa of how incredibly complicated and frustrating his life had become. She was not sympathetic: “Well, when you spend one hour a day adoring your Lord and never do anything which you know is wrong…you will be fine.” – (p. 5)

My favorite section of this book was the section on prayer. Three parts jump out at me. First, “Our inclination is to reveal to God only what we feel comfortable in sharing. …We are often tempted to select carefully the thoughts that we bring into our conversation with God.” (p. 59) This is the “…road of spiritual censorship.” (p. 59)

Second, “To pray unceasingly, as St. Paul asks us to do, would be completely impossible if it meant to think constantly about or speak continuously to God. …It means to think, speak, and live in the presence of God.” (p. 61)

Third, “Prayer is outward, careful attentiveness to the One who invites us to an unceasing conversation.” (p. 62)

My favorite quotation from the whole book would have to be the one on ministry, though. “Ministry is when two people toast their glasses of wine and something splashes over. Ministry is the extra.” (p. 131)

Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith isn't for everyone. It isn't for people who are willing to compartmentalize their faith and live as double-agents between the sacred and secular. This book isn't for people who want to keep God in a box of ideas with which they are comfortable. Finally, this book isn't for people who feel like they are already spiritually mature. This book is for people who are still becoming. And that's why it's for me.

again and again

This is one of my favorite books to read! I usually take about three months to read this book because of so much to pray about and reflect on. Without realizing it, Henri becomes your spiritual director and helps me to struggle through some tough personal questions.

I was an agnostic for many years. I have opened to New Age spirituality in the past eighteen months. Organized religion is not something I adhere to so reading a book from a Catholic priest seemed strange to me. But Henri Nouwen shares truths that cross all religions and helped me open my own eyes and drop my judgements on religion.

It seemed with every chapter I would think to myself that there was nothing for me in the topic at hand, then I would be in awe of the words on the pages. There are no idle words in this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone on a spiritual journey, regardless of your religious affiliation.

I tried to read this semi-slow, but it didn't work out. The best way I suggest to read this as they do at the beginning of the book. Once straight through, and then once taking a chapter a week or month to work through the questions, topics, and ideas. There is a lot here which I can take away from the book, and I will probably go through it slower after I finish the trilogy.

Perfect read for January. Meditative, life-giving, simple—on quiet life, simple faith, spiritual walk, community.

This is a compilation of essays and lessons from Nouwen brought together on this subject. I truly love and enjoy everything by Nouwen and I found this encouraging and challenging.

I suppose I could have saved ink by highlighting the passages I didn't find profound. While not a proponent of Nouwen's theological universalism, I found much food for deep thought. The section on spiritual community was especially valuable to me in my spiritual walk. "We need to forgive one another for not being God," is pure gold. Frustrations with human fellowship should drive me to the Lord, rather than away from people. Our relationships with others find their foundation in our relationship with God, as his beloved. The authors have done an admirable job of piecing together a collection of Nouwen's thoughts into a cohesive whole. Books that keep you thinking, like this one, deserve all the stars.

This is the first new Henri Nouwen book that I've read in a few years (after a deep dive into his work in college) and it was so much like returning to an old friend. I just find his words to be so comforting, gentle, and wise; it was exactly the book I needed for a more stressful and anticipatory stretch I was in. I particularly liked his thoughts around solidarity, downward mobility, and compassion here, but the book as a whole was great.

I’m so excited for having discovered Fr. Nouwen. This book is beautifully written and truly offers “wisdom for the long walk of faith.” Nouwen is transparent and vulnerable, a true human with insights that can only come from a spiritual leader. My only regret is that I must return my copy to the library. I’ll be adding the hard cover to my Amazon wish list and making this a top shelf read.

This is a wonderful little book on the topic of spiritual direction. The definition of "spiritual direction," as provided by the book is "a relationship initiated by a spiritual seeker who finds a mature person of faith willing to pray and respond with wisdom and understanding to his or her questions about how to live spiritually in a world of ambiguity and distraction."

The chapters of the book all have questions for titles. "Who Will Answer My Questions?" "Where Do I Begin?" "Who Am I?" "Where Have I Been and Where Am I Going?" And so on.

The chapters are also broken down into parts: Look Within to the Heart, Look to God in the Book, and Look to Others in Community.

Each chapter begins with parable of sorts, all from different sources. I suppose some people would object to the fact that some of the parables are from different "religions." Personally, that doesn't bother me. Why can I not learn from the wisdom of other religions?

This book is the first that I have read of Nouwen's work, although I have heard about him for many years. I definitely want to read more. There is great spiritual wisdom to be found in his writings. And this book will most definitely be read again, more slowly, perhaps with journaling involved.

I think this is a great volume to read for one, like me, who is on the beginning paths of spiritual direction. One thing it made me realize for certain is that I need spiritual direction. Either that of a more mature believer or a group of people. I'm kind of leaning toward a group that will begin this journey together.

Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith is based on the writings of Catholic theologian, Henri Nouwen. The chapters are organized around ten of life's basic questions, such as "Who am I?" "What is prayer?" and "How Can I be of service?" I read this book as part of my daily devotions, but it would be quite appropriate for group study.