chosen, blessed, broken and given

This book is a must-read. It's one of those you're really sad is over. In Life of the Beloved, Henri Nouwen uses these four words: chosen/taken, blessed, broken and given to describe four phases to “becoming the beloved” that play out in our every day life.

“To identify the movements of the Spirit in our lives, I have found it helpful to use four words: taken, blessed, broken and given. These words summarize my life as a priest because each day, when I come together around the table with members of my community, I take bread, bless it, break it and give it. These words also summarize my life as a Christian because, as a Christian, I am called to become bread for the world: bread that is taken, blessed, broken and given. Most importantly, however they summarize my life as a human being because in every moment of my life somewhere, somehow, the taking, the blessing, the breaking and the giving are happening.

I must tell you at this point that these four words have become the most important words of my life

…As those who are chosen, blessed, broken and given, we are called to live our lives with a deep inner joy and peace. It is the life of the Beloved, lived in a world constantly trying to convince us that the burden is on us to prove that we are worthy of being loved.”

- Life of the Beloved, Henri Nouwen