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Feb 23, 2018
"If you want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it." --Mother Teresa
Jean Vanier: The Wisdom of Tenderness
Jean Vanier's life demonstrates tenderness. A philosopher, a Catholic social innovator, and the founder of The L'Arche movement, which is centered around people with mental disabilities, he has devoted his life to the practical application of Christianity's most paradoxical teachings: that there's power in humility, strength in weakness, and light in the darkness of human existence. The 147 L'Arche communities are in 35 countries and have become places of pilgrimage and transformation for those involved and the world around them. They create a culture of welcoming, where tenderness and touch are important, where the disabled teach what it means to be human. In this interview, Vanier describes his work with the disabled and predicts that the future of the world will be one in which the little lights of love will spread and be places where people love each other.
BE THE CHANGE
Vanier recalls that Mother Teresa fought feelings of anguish and advised us to stop thinking about the anguish and start loving people, "We will be healed by the poor so let's get down to it." Examine your feelings of anguish, then demonstrate your love - perhaps by volunteering with a local organization that works with the poor and/or disabled. More ...
