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Portrait of Henri Nouwen

Henri Nouwen

(1932–1996) Catholic Theologian Kingdom of the Netherlands

452 quotes in 1771 categories

We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who need as much care as anyone else, writes Henri Nouwen. He reminds us that stories link our lives from birth to death and that silence gives words meaning. He also encourages letting go of personal wishes and trusting the love that guides us.

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Henri Nouwen was a Catholic theologian from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, best known for Our Greatest Gift.

Quick Facts About Henri Nouwen

Born: January 24, 1932
Died: September 21, 1996
Nationality: Kingdom of the Netherlands
Profession: Catholic Theologian
Notable works: Our Greatest Gift

About Henri Nouwen

His work also dealt with pastoral ministry and community, and he was deeply influenced by thinkers and artists such as Anton Boisen, Thomas Merton, Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh and Jean Vanier.

Awards & Honors

Thomas Merton Award

Quotes by Henri Nouwen

I had a deep experience of God's love for me.

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Your heart is greater than your wounds.

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Do not hesitate to love and to love deeply.

Deep love

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Be sure that you make a difference in the world.

Differences

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Emit gratitude as though it was done

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A happy life is a life for others.

Happiness

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Who can take away suffering without entering it?

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The only feelings that do not heal are the ones you hide.

Feelings

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For many, religion has to do with what we are allowed to do and not allowed to do. In the end, that…

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Every time I take a step in the direction of generosity, I know I am moving from fear to love.

Fear

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When we give generously, with an abundance mentality, what we give away will multiply.

Abundance

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The spiritual life is a reaching out to our innermost self, to our fellow human and to our God.

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Solitude is the place where we can connect with profound bonds that are deeper than the emergency bonds of fear and anger.

Anger

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Prayer is not what is done by us, but rather what is done by the Holy Spirit in us.

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Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the Beloved.

Beloved

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Waiting time is not wasting time. Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life.

Expectations

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Through prayer we can carry in our heart all human pain and sorrow, all conflicts and agonies, all torture and war, all…

Agony

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The tragedy of our lives is that, while we suffer from the wounds afflicted on us by those who love us, we…

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Someday I would love to write about Vincent van Gogh - his paintings and letters continue to inspire me very much. But…

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I have an increasing sense that the most important crisis of our time is spiritual and that we need places where people…

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As ministers our greatest temptation is toward too many words. They weaken our faith and make us lukewarm. But silence is a…

Discipline

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If you start with community and want to be faithful to community, you have to realize that what binds you together is…

Being faithful

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We are called to be fruitful - not successful, not productive, not accomplished. Success comes from strength, stress, and human effort. Fruitfulness…

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Ministers are tempted to join the ranks of those who consider it their primary task to keep other people busy … But…

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Of one thing I am sure. Complaining is self-perpetuating and counterproductive. Whenever I express my complaints in the hope of evoking pity…

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In 1984, Jean Vanier invited me me to visit L'Arche community in Trosly, France. He didn't say "We need a priest" or…

Community

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Compassion- which means, literally, "to suffer with"- is the way to the truth that we are most ourselves, not when we differ…

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What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task…

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Only in the context of the great encounter with Jesus can a real authentic struggle take place. The encounter with Christ does…

Beside you

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Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still…

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Although we tend to think about saints as holy and pious, and picture them with halos above their heads and ecstatic gazes,…

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There is a Wonderful story in the Gospel of Luke (6:12-26). Jesus went up to the mountain to pray at night; in…

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“The Importance of Receiving Receiving often is harder than giving. Giving is very important: giving insight, giving hope, giving courage, giving advice,…

Courage

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“There is a twilight zone in our hearts that we ourselves cannot see. Even when we know quite a lot about ourselves-our…

Friendship

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One of the remarkable qualities of the story is that it creates space. We can dwell in a story, walk around, find…

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Jesus' whole life and mission involve accepting powerlessness and revealing in this powerlessness the limitlessness of God's love. Here we see what…

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Joy is what makes life worth living, but for many joy seems hard to find. They complain that their lives are sorrowful…

Choice

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“Every time we make the decision to love someone, we open ourselves to great suffering, because those we most love cause us…

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“To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives the…

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If you feel a great loneliness and a deep longing for human contact, you have to be extremely discerning...and ask yourself whether…

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Henri Nouwen by topic

Life (94) Love (77) People (68) Religion (53) Time (45) Spiritual (44) World (43) Prayer (39) Heart (38) Community (35) Giving (34) Jesus (33) Inspirational (33) Joy (32) God (30) Humans (28) Solitude (27)