Ahh, how I love Jean Vanier. His book, Community and Growth (Paulist Press, 1989) was one of the key books I treasured when I lived in community at Jesus People USA. There is so much amazing stuff in this book. I encourage you to read about him and his life in communtiy with God and others. Really, really good stuff.
“In order to be able to assume the responsibility for other people’s growth, leaders must themselves have grown to true maturity and inner freedom. They must not be locked up in a prison of illusion or selfishness, and they must have allowed others to guide them.
“We can only command if we know how to obey. We can only be a leader if we know how to be a servant. We can only be a mother—or a father—figure if we are conscious of ourselves as a daughter or a son. Jesus is the Lamb before the He is the Shepherd. His authority comes from the Father; He is the beloved Son of the Father” (p. 225).
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Joyce, I'm very familiar with Jean Vanier and his L'Arche communities. I've heard him speak and he's truly a gifted, remarkable man with a magnetic spirit!
The evening I heard him speak it was on "love", the pain associated with losing love and all about taking the risk...you would have loved it...he says things so well...things you already know but can't express...
Oh, how I would have loved to have heard him! And I'm so excited to find that you are familiar with him and L'Arche!
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