A gifted theologian, priest, and author, Henri Nouwen lived the final years (1986- 96) of his life at Daybreak, a L’Arche Community in Toronto, Canada. When Nouwen left the academic world for Trosly, France, he was seeking a place to be closer to the heart of God.”
In The Road to Daybreak (Doubleday), Nouwen chronicles his spiritual and personal journey through a year of orientation (in Trosly) to this international network of L’Arche homes. Nouwen joined Daybreak in August 1986. His life, ministry, and writing would be shaped by this experience. This book offers a daily diary of Nouwen’s personal reflections during this year, and an introduction to the spiritual dimension of L’Arche and its founder, Jean Vanier.
In Adam (Orbis Books, 1997), Nouwen tells of this 25 year old man, who did not speak, or display facial expression. Nouwen bathed Adam most mornings, helping him to prepare for his day. Nouwen describes the building of a friendship, how Adam became the impetus for his day, and how these two came to live a life of mutual support. He tells how others were changed by their encounter with Adam. Nouwen writes after Adam’s death in February, 1996, “Adam gave me a sense of belonging… Without having touched Adam, I don’t know where I would be today.”
Nouwen taught at the University of Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard. By 1991 and the
publication of In the Name of Jesus (Crossroad), Nouwen was moving from an academic life driven to be popular and powerful to a life lived out of his vulnerability. This book is a speech given in Washington, D.C. to burgeoning priests. Nouwen comes as a popular speaker to address the nature of Christian leadership. He brings with him, Bill, from Daybreak, who chooses to speak, as well. It was a day to remember, for the audience.
Henri Nouwen died in September, 1996, just seven months after Adam died. I had the
privilege of hearing him speak at a L’Arche gathering in Washington, D.C. where he spoke of being at home. He described home as being a place “where God will bring what you need.” Upon arriving at Daybreak, Nouwen started trusting God to do just that, and then he began to discover home with the help of Adam like no other time in his life. Nouwen teaches us that all humans share in common a vulnerability. He believed that people with disabilities, by their own life experience, offer unique insight to this vulnerability that an able-bodied frame of reference might miss. Thanks, Henri. We miss you! (Reviewed by David E. Denham)
