Henri J. M. Nouwen - Encounters with Merton: Spiritual Reflection

Crossroad extends special gratitude to the Henri Nouwen Centre (www.HenriNouwen.org), Sue Mosteller, and Maureen Wright for their initial permission to reprint this volume and later assistance in the preparation of this volume.

For works by Thomas Merton:

Seeds of Destruction and Thoughts in Solitude. Reprinted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC: Excerpts from Seeds of Destruction. Copyright 1964 by The Abbey of Gethsemani. Copyright renewal 1992 by Robert Giroux, James Laughlin, and Tommy OCallaghan. Excerpts from Thoughts in Solitude. Copyright 1958 by the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani. Copyright renewed 1986 by the Trustees of The Thomas Merton Legacy Trust. Faith and Violence permission granted by The Merton Legacy Trust. Excerpts from My Argument with the Gestapo copyright 1969 by The Abbey of Gethsemani, Inc. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. Excerpts from The Sign of Jonas, copyright 1953 by The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani and renewed 1981 by the Trustees of The Merton Legacy Trust, reprinted by permission of Harcourt, Inc. Excerpts from Gandhi on Non-Violence (edited by Thomas Merton), copyright 1964, 1965 by New Directions Publishing Corp. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp. Excerpts from The Way of Chuang-Tzu, copyright 1965 by The Abbey of Gethsemani. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp. Excerpts from Zen and the Birds of Appetite, copyright 1968 by The Abbey of Gethsemani, Inc. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp. Most of the Merton selections derived from the volume originally known as The Secular Journal now appear in a posthumous collection of Mertons journal writing, Run to the Mountain: The Journals of Thomas Merton, Volume One 19391941. Selections from this book (by Thomas Merton and edited by Patrick Hart) appear copyright 1995 by The Merton Legacy Trust. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Inc. Rights to the small number of selections not appearing in Run to the Mountain are currently held by The Merton Legacy Trust (The Secular Journal: permission granted by the Merton Legacy Trust). Crossroad extends gratitude to the Merton Legacy Trust for permission to reprint these selections. Excerpts from Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander (Doubleday, 1968; 1989) copyright 1966 by The Abbey of Gethsemani Inc. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going, I do not see the road ahead of me, I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. (Thoughts, 81)

Nouwen Book Ideas for Every Reader

People reading Henri Nouwen for the first time will enjoy Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World. Written as a direct and personal note from Nouwen to a friend with no training in theology or religious thought, this book, with a reflection guide, has become a classic in classrooms and seminaries.

Business, church, and adult education leaders turn to In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership for insight. This book, which helps us understand the special nature of being a leader following Jesus, is widely assigned in seminary and adult education courses and parish training. It includes a study guide.

For daily reflection, turn to Here and Now: Living in the Spirit. Use this book for bedside and pocketbook reading, or use it, with the major reflection guide, as the basis for a weekly prayer meeting.

For Lent, keep a copy of Show Me the Way: Daily Lenten Readings. Each day includes a scripture verse, reflection, and prayer.

To delve more deeply into Nouwens thought, especially on the intersection of spirituality and our worldly lives, read Nouwens challenging Finding My Way Home: Pathways to Life and the Spirit (now in paperback, with a reflection guide), and learn about Nouwens approach to questions of peace, power, and waiting. Then read Encounters with Merton to see how the young Henri Nouwen understood the insights of another great spiritual teacher. Finally, Beyond the Mirror: Reflections on Death and Life is a short book examining Nouwens near-death experience and the meaning of life.

True Nouwen fans will appreciate Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of His Final Year. This was Nouwens final book, written in the last year of his life, and is a treasure of intimate details of Nouwens life and thought.

Crossroad also offers two excellent anthologies of Nouwens work, prepared by people who knew Nouwen and are committed to preserving his message. Wendy Wilson Greer offers us The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life, the finest and most lovingly assembled treasury of Nouwens work ever prepared. And in The Heart of Henri Nouwen: His Words of Blessing, Rebecca Laird and Michael J. Christensen take four key themes Nouwen announces in Life of the Beloved and show how they help us understand Nouwen, both as a writer and as a man beloved by those fortunate enough to have known him personally.

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People interested in learning more about Henri Nouwens legacy, ordering books, and signing up for free inspirational messages are invited to visit the Nouwen Centre website at www.HenriNouwen.org.

Also by Henri Nouwen

IN THE NAME OF JESUS

Reflections on Christian Leadership

Featuring new study guide!

In the Name of Jesus is Henri Nouwens bold, honest, and heartwarming message about Christian life. Christians must give up their desire to be relevant and powerful and embrace leadership based on prayer and forgiveness. His emphasis on a vigorous Jesus-centered life is vital for ministers in training, laypeople, and all those wanting to integrate their faith and their vocation.

Nouwen calls us back to a truly Christian model of leadership, where leaders remember to base their activities in a life of prayer and discernment. In countless retreats, workshops, and seminars, as well as in private reading and study, over 150,000 people have read and drawn inspiration from this little gem of Christian leadership. You will too.