Nouwen asks himself “Did becoming older bring me closer to Jesus?” Reflect on this question for your own life.
a. The Temptation: To Be Relevant
“Jesus’ first temptation was to be relevant.” Have you ever experienced this temptation in your own ministry?
b. The Question: “Do You Love Me?”
“Are you in love with Jesus”? Answer Nouwen’s question for your own life.
“You are loved without any conditions or limits.” Have you ever found it hard to accept that God loved you in this way? Take a moment to imagine and feel the immensity of God’s unconditional love.
c. The Discipline: Contemplative Prayer
“Christian leadership must be rooted in the permanent, intimate relationship with the incarnate Word, Jesus, and they need to find there the source for their words, advice, and guidance.” Imagine a conversation taking place about some of the political and moral “burning issues” Nouwen refers to on page 45. How do these conversations usually take place? Now imagine how they could be different if based on “the experience of God’s first love” and rooted in the experience of contemplative prayer.
2. From Popularity to Ministry
a. The Temptation: To Be Spectacular
Have people ever expected you to be a superman or superwoman, solving every problem on your own? How did you respond to these expectations?
“It is Jesus who heals, not I; Jesus who speaks words of truth, not I; Jesus who is Lord, not I.” According to Nouwen, how is a Jesus-centered view of leadership different from the leadership exercised by a psychologist or doctor?
c. The Discipline: Confession and Forgiveness
“Ministers and priests . . . are called to minister with their whole being, including their wounded selves.” Reflect on appropriate ways you can more fully open yourself to your community.
a. The Temptation: To Be Powerful
“It seems easier to be God than to love God.” Describe in your own words what this means. Why do you think it is sometimes hard for us to love God?
b. The Challenge: “Someone Else Will Take You”
“Jesus has a different vision of maturity: It is the ability and willingness to be led where you would rather not go.” Think of the last time God was calling you to make a change in your life. Was it difficult to let go of your own wishes and follow God’s direction?
c. The Discipline: Theological Reflection
On page 44, Nouwen describes theology as “union with God in prayer.” How is theological reflection different from psychological or scientific investigation?
“The Christian leader thinks, speaks, and acts in the name of Jesus.” Can you think of three specific ways your own vocation can be enriched by teaching “in the name of Jesus”? How can you integrate prayer as part of this direction?