Clowning in Rome Quotes

“A simple example Practically, how do we contemplate Jesus? How do we enter into dialogue with him and allow our unceasing thought to be transformed into unceasing prayer?”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Clowning in Rome: Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer, and Contemplation

“To be continually in communion with God does not mean thinking about God in contrast to thinking about other things, nor does it mean spending time with God instead of spending time with other people. As soon as we begin to divide off our thoughts into thoughts about God and thoughts about other things like people and events, we separate God from our daily life. At that point God is allocated to a pious little niche in some corner of our lives where we only think pious thoughts and experience pious feelings. Although it is important and even indispensable for our spiritual lives to set apart time for God and God alone, our prayer can only become unceasing communion when all our thoughts—beautiful or ugly, high or low, proud or shameful, sorrowful or joyful—can be thought in the presence of the One who dwells in us and surrounds us. By trying to do this, our unceasing thinking is converted into unceasing prayer moving us from a self-centered monologue to a God-centered dialogue. To do this we want to try to convert our thoughts into conversation. The main question, therefore, is not so much what we think, but to whom we present our thoughts, because to pray unceasingly means to think and live in the presence of Love.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Clowning in Rome: Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer, and Contemplation

“For Paul, praying is like breathing. It cannot be interrupted without mortal danger.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Clowning in Rome: Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer, and Contemplation

“every relationship carries within its center a holy vacancy, a space that is for the first Love, God alone.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Clowning in Rome: Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer, and Contemplation

“Deep and mature friendship does not mean that we keep looking each other in the eyes, constantly impressed or enraptured by each other’s beauty, talents, and gifts, but it does mean that together we look at the one who calls us to a life of service.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Clowning in Rome: Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer, and Contemplation