We had included this reflection in a monthly newsletter to our staff but wanted to make it available to friends of Word Made Flesh as well. Thank you for partnering with WMF and being a part of God’s work to bring healing, hope, and peace to our neighbors in need all around the world.
by Clint Baldwin, Executive Director
Monday of this week was the 90th birthday of Jean Vanier – the founder of L’Arche (The Ark).
Founded in 1964, L’Arche communities are now found around the world.
Each L’Arche community seeks to create and sustain a loving home space for adults navigating mental (and physical) disabilities. Since their founding in 1964, Jean Vanier has been a stable, compassionate leader and community member of the organization. Vanier continues to live in Trosly-Breuil, France as part of the very first L’Arche community ever established.
Vanier consistently reminds through his writing and speaking (which arises out of his day to day living and studying! ) that we need each other.
We might be able to accomplish things for a bit on our own and even see certain aspects of external “success” in such doing, but Vanier lets us know that this process slowly kills our souls and kills our communities.
From the beginning we have heard that it is not good that we are alone. Yet, we realize while it is not good to be alone, it is also at times also hard to be together. Life is both deeply good and deeply difficult. Overall, in the midst of the good and the difficult, Vanier reminds us that Jesus Christ calls us to seek to “Love one another as I have love you.” (John 15:12). May we live out this truth of Christ within our communities as we seek to love one another well.