Benediction for 9/21/10

From a lecture by the late Henri Nouwen:

You and I are taken, blessed, broken to be given to the world.  You're not there for yourself.  I'm not there for myself.  I'm there for you.  You're there for me.  We're there for each other.  But we are there for the generations to come.  Your little life doesn't end on the day you die.  Your little life is a gift for your family, your friends, but far beyond that for the people who you never even will see or know about.  Jesus doesn't ask you to be successful, but he says "Be fruitful."  And how can you will be fruitful without dying?  If the grain doesn't die it doesn't bring any fruit.

You can view this part of that lecture as well: