Henri Nouwen writes a wonderfully compelling and spiritually driven biography called, “Adam’s Peace”. Nouwen immerses himself into a culture of giving and prosperity by living in an international federation of communities called l’Arche. In l’Arche, they create a family of assistants and handicapped people alike who take care of one another in unexpected ways. A particularly memorable person in the home for Nouwen is a handicapped man named Adam. He is the most disabled of the group, and requires the most help with everyday tasks just to simply live. Nouwen says that, “after a month of working with Adam, something happened to me. This deeply handicapped man, who is considered by many outsiders a vegetable, a distortion of humanity, a useless
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How can people better understand the concept of freedom from disturbance? For Adam, peace is rooted in simply existing, he is not worried about daily tasks. There is a particular beauty in the idea behind placing less stress on the actions that often breed jealousy and resentment. Nouwen puts this thought into perspective when he says that people who want peace, are also interested in behaviours that are meant to achieve power, success, and popularity (122). They have the same damaging behaviours as someone who wants war, how then can peace be achieved when everyone is focused on values that do not pertain to becoming “quiet” and “tranquil,” the very real foundations of peace (122). In simply being, like Adam, it is finally realized that peace does not need much in order to exist or be found, it in fact needs …show more content…
The peace that transcends from God, as gifted to Adam, is available for all, but often hidden behind our own weaknesses. To become aware of and share one’s own weaknesses allows for peace and courage to multiply. To further expand, Nouwen explains that, “for this gift [of peace] to become known, someone has to lift it up and pass it on,” (121). Adam gives Nouwen the courage to become “weak” and in turn Nouwen gives those around him the courage to become “weak”. Thereby, lifting the gift of peace and passing it
How can people better understand the concept of freedom from disturbance? For Adam, peace is rooted in simply existing, he is not worried about daily tasks. There is a particular beauty in the idea behind placing less stress on the actions that often breed jealousy and resentment. Nouwen puts this thought into perspective when he says that people who want peace, are also interested in behaviours that are meant to achieve power, success, and popularity (122). They have the same damaging behaviours as someone who wants war, how then can peace be achieved when everyone is focused on values that do not pertain to becoming “quiet” and “tranquil,” the very real foundations of peace (122). In simply being, like Adam, it is finally realized that peace does not need much in order to exist or be found, it in fact needs …show more content…
The peace that transcends from God, as gifted to Adam, is available for all, but often hidden behind our own weaknesses. To become aware of and share one’s own weaknesses allows for peace and courage to multiply. To further expand, Nouwen explains that, “for this gift [of peace] to become known, someone has to lift it up and pass it on,” (121). Adam gives Nouwen the courage to become “weak” and in turn Nouwen gives those around him the courage to become “weak”. Thereby, lifting the gift of peace and passing it