Jean Vanier: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters)

Very inspiring and spiritually uplifting. This highly educated man left a life of materialistic success to live a life with the poorest and most rejected men. In their dependence on him, he searched his own soul and recognized his own inner demons as well as a depth of love for these poor neglected and abused creatures that could only come from his dependence on God. He saw the face of Jesus In everyone of these men. His letters and speeches confront the materialistic and complacent way of life of our society, both in religious and political circles. A very thought-provoking book and soul-searching book

great

Jean Vanier has made his life among the mentally and physically challenged. Nobody is better - or less sentimental - than Vanier in conveying the truth that the disabled are a wonderful gift from God, that each and everyone of us is a valued, loved, unique child of God.

"Jean Vanier: Essential Writings," Selected with an Introduction by Carolyn Whitney-Brown is a wonderful read. I never realized that Vanier had written so much, but this 176 paged tome condenses his thoughts from various works into one concise paperback that is worth the read. Being a peace activist I wasn't sure if I would appreciate the works of a guy who served in the British Navy, but I found a similar fellow who has worked with individuals who are intellectually challenged as I have done for 31 years, only he has done it longer and better than I have. I found this book to be a valuable source of material to ponder and revisit. I hope more folks discover the wisdom this Jean Vanier has to offer. Peace.

An excellent book by Jean Varnier. As always, a compassionate well written book.

Fabulous!

So says L'Arche founder Jean Vanier about his own spiritual journey (p. 29). son of one of Canada's first families, military man, and Ph.Ded philosopher, Vanier was accustomed to taking charge of his fellow humans when he was in proximity to them, and abstractly dissecting them when he was thinking about them. But his encounter with mentally and physically broken humans in the late 1950s, coupled with a growing spiritual restlessness, led him to a dramatic and dynamic life change. Ever since, Vanier has lived and written about the path of "downward mobility." In doing so, he (like Henri Nouwen) invites the rest of us to rethink our understanding of both our own life goals and God. He invites us to see vulnerability as a blessing rather than a liability, and to recognize that one of our greatest strengths, and one of God's greatest strengths, is precisely the weakness to allow ourselves to be touched by others.Carolyn Whitney-Brown, who herself worked at a L'Arche community for the better part of a decade and knows Vanier personally, has put together an excellent collection of Vanier's essential writings and prefaced it with an informative Introduction. The writings focus on transforming the world, transforming the local community, transforming the self, and exploring the Christian life. They're written with a simplicity that can be deceptive. It's all too easy to dismiss Vanier as a simplistic thinker (another similarity with Nouwen). But in fact Vanier's writing tends to presuppose sophisticated arguments without belaboring them. His style is to write prose that invites meditation, rather than arguments that compel assent.An excellent addition to the Modern Spiritual Masters series.

This is an outstanding book.It really captures many of Jean's best works.Am enjoying his very inspiring works.Would suggest this book to anyone whodesires to capture the real gift ofJean Vanier

Excellent book and excellent seller, will use again.

A masterpiece of Spiritual reflection. He relates the Gospels to the marginalized, brilliantly and is prepared to reveal his own weakness in this account.

There is nothing that I - or anyone else - can write about Jean Vanier that will even begin to do justice to the work he has done with intellectually challenged adults. His books are heart wrenching in their simplicity and lack of ego. If you ever have the chance to visit one of the L'Arche homes he has established throughout the world then by all means go - you will not come away the same person. The Catholic church has made some questionable choices when it comes to bestowing the title of 'Saint' but there is no question that Jean Vanier is a Saint in every way.