Clowning in Rome - Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer and Contemplation (By: Henri J. M. Nouwen)

Our cultures have pretty much put aside the values of solitude, celibacy, prayer and contemplation. As a result, we experience emptiness in our hearts and our relationships. Clowning in Rome will perhaps inspire us to risk to be touched by those in our homes and on our streets that we would rather put aside and forget. The homeless, belligerent, rejected, violent, lost, uncooperative, and vulnerable people are the prophets of today beckoning us to become clowns in the circus of life, where we foolishly squander our enormous energies of love and generosity. -Foreword (xviii)

... I [slowly] realized that in the great circus of [life], full of lion tamers and trapeze artists whose dazzling feats claim our attention, the real and true story was told by the clowns. Clowns are not in the centre of the events. They appear between the great acts, fumble and fall, and make us smile again after the tensions created by the heroes we came to admire. The clowns don't have it together they do not succeed in what they try to do, they are awkward, out of balance, and left-handed, but.... they are on our side. We respond to them not with admiration but with sympathy , not with amazement but with understanding, not with tension but with a smile. Of the virtuosi we say, "How can they do it?" Of the clowns we say, "They are like us." The clowns remind us with a tear and a smile that we share the same human weakness. -page 3.

I am continuously challenged by the diverse and competing demands on my time and attention. In order to address this, I find myself returning time and time again to the wisdom of the ancient ones that have gone before me. The monastic tradition in the Church deconstructed their lives in such a way that they primarily focused on two pillars: Prayer and Work. The "Ora et Labora" motto has galvanized and motivated a movement that has withstood the test of time, and many believe is increasingly relevant in our overloaded and stressed culture. It's alright I am not turning into a monk. What I am doing, however, is gleaning from some of their wisdom and practices in order to enrich my own life and spirituality. I am applying "Ora et Labora" in my own life, albeit within the context of married and family life, career development, workplace ministry, and pastoring a small but very dynamic church. Ora et labora. The deconstruction of life into work and prayer is meaningful to me because I find that this is the balance that I try to achieve in everyday life at ground-level. You see, "Work-Life balance" does not work for me. The reason for this is that my work is life…….and I do not check my life at the door to my office and become a zombie-automaton from nine to five. I am pursuing the idea of "flow" where life becomes a continuous movement between working, spirituality, family, rest, fun and fellowship. This is the "Clock", the practical hands-on issue of scheduling my time, making sure that demands for my attention do not crowd-out other "higher-order" priorities that form the guiding vision or "Compass" for my life. The Celtic Knot At another higher level (33,000ft level), a more strategic focus means that I must have three fundamental components in my life and ministry that will direct the way my "work and prayer" flow happen at the day-to-day runway level. This is best represented by a Celtic Knot (HT: Eric J. Swanson) where each of the three points symbolizes three words that are taking on a lot of meaning for me: Contemplation; Community and Cause. To put it in less "Churchy" language, think Believe, Belong, and Bless, or even Faith, Community and Mission. These are the higher-order priorities that are the compass for my journey in life. Contemplation involves deepening my relationship with God, turning inward to experience God, seeking His face in the Word and often simply enjoying His embrace, His love, relishing His promises over my life. This is the way that I "refuel" my soul, recharge my batteries and build my faith and passion. The busier I get, the more of a priority my inner life must take. I cannot afford not to pray and be near the presence of God. Community involves belonging. Humans are creatures of community. We crave deep relationships and connections with other people. I find that many of my relationships with people, even within church, are at a very superficial level. I am making it a top priority in my life to deepen my heart connections with people who can pour out into me, and build me up and encourage me, holding me accountable my heart's wildest dreams. Cause involves our mission to bless a broken world. This involves getting to know people – developing relationships with people and understanding their hurts, disappointments, desires and hang-ups – then praying for them and introducing a supernatural encounter into their situation that will make them experience the love of God. This makes all the difference. Life always pushes me to attend to the "Clock" first and then the "Compass". I am learning to turn this the other way around and make sure that my guiding compass (Contemplation, Community and Cause) press upon the use of my time in order to ensure that my life actually counts for something. How about you? What are you doing today that will give direction and purpose to your daily activities?