Henry Nouwen’s Daily Meditation for Tuesday July 22nd, 2014 Commentary By: Nicole Collins

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Bridging the Gap Between People

"To become neighbours is to bridge the gap between people.  As long as there is distance between us and we cannot look in each other's eyes, all sorts of false ideas and images arise.  We give them names, make jokes about them, cover them with our prejudices, and avoid direct contact.  We think of them as enemies.  We forget that they love as we love, care for their children as we care for ours, become sick and die as we do.  We forget that they are our brothers and sisters and treat them as objects that can be destroyed at will.

Only when we have the courage to cross the street and look in one another's eyes can we see there that we are children of the same God and members of the same human family."

My Commentary:

It is easy in this day and age to fall victim unknowingly into feeling alienated or become indifferent to one another.   Often in our efforts to define people, define life to make it a little clearer for ourselves we resort to labeling people... and basically avoid coming to really KNOW one another (especially through Christ!).

The scriptures prayerful encourage us whether it be coming from the Gospels or one of Paul’s letter —where we hear, are reminded of being brothers and sisters in Christ; children of God, Sons and Daughters.  These are all wonderful cues to spiritually ground us into being; becoming truly family to one another for Christ Jesus sake.

Being and becoming children of God and even more importantly, children of Grace we must live vividly with Christ at the center of our hearts—live Jesus as a verb!

God Bless Your Day~

Nicole Collins