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Henri Nouwen Society - Daily Meditation

Tuesday August 27, 2013 

 

Being Ready to Die

 

Death often happens suddenly.  A car accident, a plane crash, a fatal fight, a war,  a flood, and so on.  When we feel healthy and full of energy, we do not think much about our deaths.  Still, death might come very unexpectedly.

 

How can we be prepared to die?  By not having any unfinished relational business.  The question is:  Have I forgiven those who have hurt me and asked forgiveness from those I have hurt?  When I feel at peace with all the people I live with, my death might cause great grief, but it will not cause guilt or anger.   

 

When we are ready to die at any moment, we also are ready to live at any moment.

 

- Henri J. M. Nouwen  

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Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, �1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible �1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson.