"
In the final years of his life, Nouwen, admitted publically that he was a homosexual and "ministered" to others, not out of his strengths, but out of his own wounds.
Writing
In the essay, he co-authored with Donald P. McNeill and Douglas a. Morrison, Compassion: A Reflection on Christian Life, Nouwen wrote that compassionate people go directly to those who are suffering most and lives with them there. Compassion, Nouwen stressed, does not comprise a "bending toward the under privileged from a privileged position; & #8230;not a reaching out from on high to those… less fortunate below; & #8230; not a gesture of sympathy or pity for those who fail to make it in the upward pull."
Compassion builds a home, as noted in the quote introducing this paper, to serve where it can best help those who are hurting.
In his book the Return of the Prodigal Son, a Story of Homecoming, Nouwen recorded his personal reflections on the Rembrandt painting of: "The Return of: The Prodigal Son," and his personal life. Nouwen's reflections on the painting include "the characters, the painter and the scriptures. Nouwen observed that Rembrandt's painting strays from what we have all imagined the scene to be from the scripture reading."
Nouwen proposed that those who read the biblical account of the prodigal son likely picture a large estate or farm; with the father running down the road to meet his returning prodigal son as he approaches home.
Later, according the understanding most have of the account of the prodigal son, the father also greets the older son outside the home, as he came in from working in the fields. Rembrandt painted each person depicted in this story inside the father's house. He portrays the two sons in the same scene simultaneously. Nouwen encouraged his readers to study of the people portrayed in this poignant scene. Faithful to the scriptural account in a spiritual sense: "The father, while not running down the road, is certainly full of a very tender love for his younger son. And the younger son is very much heartbroken at his circumstances and humbles himself kneeling."
Although the older son is not presented outside in Rembrandt's painting, Rembrandt portrayed this son scarcely entering into the circle of light. Although present, the older son remains aloof; choosing not to participate in welcoming his once wayward, now repentant brother home.
Nouwen wrote that the prodigal son began his journey leading to his downfall by rejecting his father's values. Eventually, this younger son experiences rejection by those around him after he spent all his money. The prodigal son experienced total rejection when "employed" to feed hogs and no one even offered him any of the food the pigs had to eat. Those all around the prodigal son did not acknowledge that he, like them, had a real human need for sustenance. They failed to recognize him as being, like them, a real person. When the son became so hungry that he saw the pig's food as desirable, he came to the realization that he, like the people who did not recognize his needs as a human, was not a pig, but a human. He remembered that he was a son; that he had a father who loved him. When the son decided he would return home, he did not expect his father to totally forgive him. He had, like others who may not recognize they, as the prodigal son, have also thrown away their Heavenly Father's values; insulting Him; choosing to go astray. In his book about the prodigal son, Nouwen translated Matthew 18:3: "Unless you turn and become like children you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven." Nouwen reminds readers that: "The younger son turned toward home only hoping to participate outside his father's home as a laborer, but found himself restored to complete sonship, a picture of being "re-born" into the Kingdom."
Nouwen encourages readers to study Rembrandt's painting; to meditate on it and then imagine themselves as the one returning to the Father.
The younger son made a change and the older son was asked to do so. Nouwen wrote: "People who have come to know God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself…." They move into the light of the Father.
The painting questioned…[Nouwen]. Who are you? Which of the figures do you identify with? His first thoughts were that he did not know what it was like to be the prodigal son, to be held and loved, to rest his head on the Father. He was one of the onlookers. Nouwen wrote, "For years I had instructed students on the different aspects of the spiritual life.…but had I, myself, really ever dared to step into the center, kneel down, and let myself be held by a forgiving God?"
The Return of the Prodigal Son,...
Van Gogh was born in the Netherlands to a preacher and his early life had inauspicious surroundings. He was well into maturity when he realized his true vocation was painting, and though he developed his talent in isolation at first, his later experiences in Paris had a profound affect on his painting. Van Gogh is extremely famous for his insanity and mental difficulties, but these conditions also provided the basis
Van Gogh Vincent van Gogh's work is nearly always identifiable instantly, due to the artist's characteristic use of vivid color and his intense, long brushstrokes. However, earlier van Gogh paintings are more subdued than his later canon. Paintings like "The Potato Eaters," for example, rely on darker palettes. After his inspiring encounter with Japanese woodblocks, van Gogh started to incorporate a richer color palette and his brushstrokes become lengthened almost like
Vincent Van Gogh's Artwork Became Famous After His Death Vincent van Gogh is one of the most well-known artists of all time. His works sell for extraordinary sums of money. Many artists like van Gogh became popular only after their death. Vincent contributed much to Western society. His artistic vision laid the groundwork for modern impressionism, abstraction and even expressionism. His technique is still admired today by artists and students
Vincent Van Gogh Sol LeWitt. References book "a world art" 7th ed. central Texas college edition. Written sere, henry m. chapters 4-6 250 words Compare and contrast the use of line in the works of Vincent Van Gogh and Sol LeWitt. Both the works of Vincent Van Gogh and Sol LeWitt are characterized by frequent deployment of bright, contrasting colors to create a particular aesthetic effect. But Van Gogh's use of
There is a woman sitting in a chair, bent forward and resting her face in her right hand. She is looking toward the ground and seems to be very unhappy. The chair is very tall which makes it so that we can see her long dress. She is resting her feet on some type of box, but her feet cannot be seen. This drawing does not appear to have
life of famed painter Vincent Van Gogh. The writer explores his life and the things that contributed to the path of his career. In addition the writer examines the works and changes of Van Gogh's style throughout a one decade period of work. There were five sources used to complete this paper. If a picture paints a thousand words famed painter Vincent Van Gogh has contributed volumes to the world
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now