Henri Nouwen on the Sacraments

In my e-mail box each morning I receive some wisdom from the Henri Nouwen Society, a "Daily Meditation." Today's seemed to contain more insight than usual,and since I was at Class Day all day and came home to crawl in bed for the remainder of the afternoon, thoroughly exhausted. So, since I am far too wiped out to write anything, enjoy this meditation:

Sacraments are very specific events in which God touches us through creation and transforms us into living Christs. The two main sacraments are baptism and the Eucharist. In baptism water is the way to transformation. In the Eucharist it is bread and wine. The most ordinary things in life - water, bread, and wine - become the sacred way by which God comes to us.

These sacraments are actual events. Water, bread, and wine are not simple reminders of God's love; they bring God to us. In baptism we are set free from the slavery of sin and dressed with Christ. In the Eucharist, Christ himself becomes our food and drink.

I love that last paragraph. I love that last sentence.

Okay, once I recover physically and mentally from teaching poetry to 10-12 years olds and expository writing to 16-18 year olds today, I'll post something I write myself. But until then, enjoy Nouwen.