Jean Vanier - We Need One Another: Responding to Gods Call to Live Together

I was happy in April of 2008 to visit the wonderful community of Saint Martin in Nyahururu, a small town in the central part of Kenya. That year was a memorable one in Kenya as it opened with violence and bloodshed in literally all parts of the country, particularly in the territory, major towns, and villages of the Great Rift Valley. In the wake of that violence, pain, and loss it was a gift to be able to gather together people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds for a retreat, to listen and to reflect on the word of God. This book comprises the talks I gave during that retreat.

At my home, in the community of LArche in France, I have lived for fifty-three years with people with disabilities. They have revealed to me the face of God, his compassion and exquisite tenderness and love for each one of us. Those with disabilities have been my teachers and have gradually opened me to know and accept my own fears and disabilities. Their friendship has opened my heart to love and to growth. Their love has led me deeper into the loving heart of Jesus. The original community has now grown throughout the world. It is always the same messagepeople being transformed by people who are fragile. There are now 140 communities around the world with eighteen in the United States.

Around the world these communities offer hope to those who are marginalized in our competitive societies where few win, many lose, and more are victims. In 1967, together with Marie-Helene Matthieu we founded communities of Faith and Light, small groups of friendship, support, and celebration for people with disabilities, their families, and friends. These groups offer hope and transform lives, affirming the importance of each human being.

The title of this book We Need One Another: Responding to Gods Call to Live Together is a reflection on the invitation of Jesus, who is asking us to become a friend of the poor and to befriend those we reject because of their color, their poverty, or their disability. This is not easy unless we go through a process of transformation that occurs as we listen to the message of Jesus. This message is that each one of us is precious to Jesus, whatever our culture, language, background, faith, ability, or disability. If we open our hearts to him, if we hear and respond to the cry of the needy, and if we enter in relationship with them and ask one another for forgiveness, we are gradually transformed.

Even though this book was originally a retreat given in Kenya, the words and message are essentially the truth of the Gospel, which is for people in all circumstances. Today we are living in a very stressed world. There is a lot of fear and even hatred for those who are different. Jesus came to preach peace and to break down the barriers that separate people. May this little book help each one of us become messengers of peace, of mercy, and of forgiveness.

Jean Vanier

Trosly-Breuil, France

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.

When he saw Jesus passing by he said, Look, the Lamb of God!

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

Turning round, Jesus saw them following and asked, What are you looking for?

They said, Rabbi, where are you staying?

Come, he replied, and you will see.

So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him.

It was about the tenth hour.

(from J ohn 1)

B efore coming to Kenya I was invited to a secondary school in Paris, and the students asked me why I was going to Kenya during such a turbulent time in the country. Could it become a dangerous experience?

I replied that I was going to Kenya to visit the community of Saint Martin, because I was convinced that I could find Jesus there. For me, faith is not enough! I need to touch, I need to feel, and I need to see Jesus in the life of the people. That is why I am going to visit the community of Saint Martin, because I am convinced that there I can touch, feel, and see Jesus. If you tell me that there is another community where I can meet Jesusin China or any other place very farI will go there because faith has never been enough for me.

I am happy to be with you here in Nyahururu. We come together at a moment when many have been deeply affected in recent days and months by violence in this and surrounding regions. We come together from many different places and cultures, bringing with us different histories, customs, and languages. We give thanks for the gift of being able to gather in peace and safety to reflect, share, pray, and celebrate together.

Each of us has a beautiful culture, and our mother tongue is the language that we receive from our culture. In my case, for many decades Ive lived with people, many of whom do not speak with words. They speak with their bodies, they speak with their tears, and they speak with their smiles. It is important to understand these other languages, as well, that we all share. What are you saying? What are you living? Where is your pain? Where are your dreams? The reality of the world is that although we cannot always speak one anothers language, we can still attempt to understand one anothers pain, joys, hope, and dreams.

We read in the prologue of the Gospel of John that the Word became flesh to lead us into the knowledge of the Father, so that we can discover who God is. Right after the prologue, we hear of an incredible man, John the Baptist, who was sent by God to prepare the way, to help people to trust and to believe. John the Baptist is an extraordinary witness of God because he points to Jesus and says, I am not important, he is important. I am nothing. I am not even worthy to undo the laces of his sandals. Look at Jesus. At one moment, John the Baptist sees Jesus from afar and he says to the people around, Behold, look carefully, here is the Lamb of God who has come to take away all the hatred and violence and negativity that is in us. Jesus came to take away from our hearts all that is sin, our refusal of love and our closing ourselves up in fear.

The next day, John the Baptist is with a few of his disciples. Again, he sees Jesus and he says to his disciples, Behold, look carefully, the Lamb of God. At that moment, two of his disciples break off from him and start to follow Jesus. One of these men is Andrew and the other is probably John, who wrote the Gospel. Here we find Jesus walking and these two men start to follow him. Jesus turns around, and we hear his first words in the Gospel of John, What are you looking for?

This is beautiful. The first words of Jesus are not a command. He gently asks, What are you looking for? What are your desires? What do you long for?

I use these words of Jesus as a question to each one of you. Why are you here? What do you want and what are you looking for? It is very important to clarify what it is that you want, what your deepest desire is, and what you are looking for.