Journal entry by Al Negstad — a minute ago
The weekly news magazine The Economist, always publishes an obituary of an interesting person on the last page. The May 19th, 2019, issue contained the obituary of Jean Vanier. He was a professor of philosophy but his spiritual adviser suggested he visit mental institutions in France in the early 1960's. He was appalled by what he found but continued to visit. To quote from The Economist, writing about the people he found institutionalized "They cried out to be looked on with kindness, called by their name, not despised, but loved. He already knew they would return that love, for he felt it whenever he was among them. And to love was to be with God.
"Feeling he must do something, in 1964 he bought a small stone house in Trosly-Breuil. It was falling to bits, with no electricity or plumbing, but it would serve the purpose. Then he invited two of the young men from the institution, Raphael Simi and Phillipe Seux, to live with him there. They would share meals and chores and make a little foyeur, like a family. They said yes at once. Phillipe had a paralyzed leg, a withered right hand and poor eyesight, and repeated himself constantly. Raphael, damaged by meningitis, knew only 20 words, fell often and had fits of anger. Yet in both boys he saw radiance and, most important, tenderness. From his invitation and their acceptance sprang a network of 150 house-based communities in 38 countries, from India to Ivory Coast, from Honduras to Palestine....
"For him L'Arche was rooted in the following of Jesus. Whatever was done for the poor, the suffering and the imprisoned was done for him. For Jesus was vulnerable, and a servant. He was moved especially by Jesus's washing of his disciples' feet....But his arms were wide open to Hindus, Muslims, Jews and those of no faith at all, as long as they acknowledged that at the heart of the universe, bringing everything together, was love; and as long as they could sit, as he did, beside a young man twisted and immobile from birth, repeating to him simply: 'Sebastien, you are beautiful.'" P. 82.
God bless the memory of your servant Jean Vanier!
Takk for alt,
Al
"Feeling he must do something, in 1964 he bought a small stone house in Trosly-Breuil. It was falling to bits, with no electricity or plumbing, but it would serve the purpose. Then he invited two of the young men from the institution, Raphael Simi and Phillipe Seux, to live with him there. They would share meals and chores and make a little foyeur, like a family. They said yes at once. Phillipe had a paralyzed leg, a withered right hand and poor eyesight, and repeated himself constantly. Raphael, damaged by meningitis, knew only 20 words, fell often and had fits of anger. Yet in both boys he saw radiance and, most important, tenderness. From his invitation and their acceptance sprang a network of 150 house-based communities in 38 countries, from India to Ivory Coast, from Honduras to Palestine....
"For him L'Arche was rooted in the following of Jesus. Whatever was done for the poor, the suffering and the imprisoned was done for him. For Jesus was vulnerable, and a servant. He was moved especially by Jesus's washing of his disciples' feet....But his arms were wide open to Hindus, Muslims, Jews and those of no faith at all, as long as they acknowledged that at the heart of the universe, bringing everything together, was love; and as long as they could sit, as he did, beside a young man twisted and immobile from birth, repeating to him simply: 'Sebastien, you are beautiful.'" P. 82.
God bless the memory of your servant Jean Vanier!
Takk for alt,
Al
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