27th September 2026 

The Desire of our Heart

This week marked the 30th anniversary of the death of the theologian and psychologist Henri Nouwen. Nouwen was ordained at the age of 25, but was drawn after that to study psychology and did much to integrate the insights of this then relatively new discipline with the insights from the much older discipline of theology. He became well known for his pastoral theology, and for his teaching about depression, intimacy and love, lecturing at some of America's most eminent universities. Later in life, he chose to abandon his academic career and, instead, to live and serve among adults with developmental disabilities in a L'Arche community in Ontario in Canada.

Nouwen's theological thought focused on what he described as a "theology of the heart", a personal connection with Jesus which shaped everything else. He encourages us to open our hearts fully to Jesus, not to be discouraged when our experience of human love is at best imperfect, partial and often disappointing, because the love of Jesus, which he describes as the primary love, has no shadow side. Once we open ourselves up to this love, reckoned Nouwen, "we cannot do other than bring healing, reconciliation, new life, and hope wherever we go."

What a wonderful description! I'd love to be a person who can bring those things - healing, reconciliation, new life, and hope - wherever I go. The teaching of Nouwen reminds me that, to be this sort of person, I need to be focusing my heart on Jesus. As John describes it in his gospel, I need to be a branch that remains in Jesus, the vine, in order to bear fruit, because, apart from that vine, I can do nothing (John 15:1-8). And, as term gets underway and my diary fills up, this reminds me of the absolute centrality of prayer, of time set aside to focus the attention of my heart on, and to remain in, Jesus, the source of the healing, reconciliation, new life and hope that I would love to bring to others.

At the start of this month, we spent five days in prayer leading up to our birthday celebration weekend. It was an opportunity to focus the attention of our hearts upon Jesus, to pause, reflect, give thanks and refocus. And it was amazing to see how we, as church, united in prayer and worship that week - especially in our 24 hours of non-stop prayer, during which at least 30 people joined in by praying for at least an hour each. I've noticed a change in the atmosphere of our worship since then. I've noticed a greater sense of peace, a greater sense of joy. I've noticed that we as a community are attending better to one another. I don't think these things are imagined, and I don't think they're coincidental.

When life gets busy, where the attention of our heart is will make the difference between busy and stressful and busy and fruitful. I'd love us to build upon the time and space we set aside earlier this month and find time and space to remain with Jesus. I'd love to hear your ideas about how we might create that space. The first commandment, according to Jesus, is that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. I wonder how we can keep on growing in that love in the coming months?