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Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of His Final Year

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This journal was written during the last year of Henri Nouwen's life, ending approximately one month before his death. In it, he describes his struggles with other people, his difficulty discerning what God intends for him, the direction his ministry is to take, and, woven throughout the book, are the continual, endless and beautiful themes of God's reconciling love, the Eucharist, forgiveness, friendship and love.

It is especially heartening (although sad for him) to read of his own struggles with others, his sadness and depression, his occasional hurt feelings, and to know that, great as he was, Nouwen struggled with the same problems of alienation and sadness that afflict us all. Yet, somehow, he found the strength to go on, and to inspire millions. Some of his beliefs may be upsetting to more traditional and conservative Christians, but were obviously products of much thought, energy and prayer. A very moving and inspiring book.

This is not really a sermon, more a sermon lived out. This diary shows in clear detail some surprising things that Nouwen believed. I'm sure more conservative Christians are going to go postal when they read this. But, this diary also shows clearly what Nouwen valued most: his relationship with other people. While Nouwen is an intimate and transparent writer, here you see what he has lectured and written on lived out in his life, through birth, death, celebration, Eucharist, and endless writing and revising. It's not an autobiography, but it is the closest one can get to understanding this priest who loved God and others.

This was my second Henry Nouwen book (the first was a book of selected writings edited by his friend Robert Jonas, with whom he stayed during part of the sabbatical described in this book), and I can assure you, this will not be my last Nouwen book. I have long been intrigued by this Catholic priest so often quoted by my Protestant pastors, and this book was recommended by one of them at a low point in my life.

Nouwen's spirituality and humanity come through so well through the pages of this journal. His reflections as he celebrates the Eucharist on a nearly daily basis are a source of spiritual food that sustains not only his community of friends (and he has many!) but his readers as well. He also writes about the tug of war he feels between wanting to write more, yet wanting to be available as a pastor for his friends, to preside over their weddings and baptisms and funerals. The anguish he feels over the death of Adam, a young disabled man who brought him to the Daybreak community he pastored for the last decade of his life, brought tears to my eyes. And he talks candidly about his hurts and disappointments, his anxieties and his fatigue, a haunting undercurrent, given the knowledge that three weeks after his final entry, he died of a massive coronary.

In short, you have to love, respect, and listen to a priest with the courage to write "...my faith and unbelief are never far from each other. Maybe it is exactly at the place where they touch each other that the growing edge of my life is" (p. 143). I am sorry I will never meet Nouwen in person, but I look forward to getting to know him better through his writings, and I look forward to someday meeting him in God's kingdom in Heaven.

Reading is very pleasurable and rewarding especially if his works are not new to you. Spend time quiet time enjoying his explicit and sublimal messages about deep friendships, purposes for living life and the abundance of love that surrounds him. Highly recommend for folks on the fringes of a developed spiritual life or those seeking new insights.

Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of his Final Year was the last book written by Henri Nouwen. It's a chronicle of his sabbatical year which was intended to provide a restful time for prayer, writing and solitude. In actuality it became the most active period in Nouwen's life. Although he always made time for prayers and writing, there was little resolve for solitude; either people sought him or he invited their company. Not a week went by that he wasn't on a plane or train visiting family and friends, attending meetings and conferences, performing sacramental and ceremonial rites, always moving at a space age pace.

Nouwen's diary reads like a travel essay. There are several spiritual nuggets to be found on his non-travel days, but most entries are of his observations and experiences with an accompanying commentary. Unlike travel writers, he never describes a meal by describing the food; instead he gives an account of the dinner conversation, the topics, the mood, the intensity, and the background of every dinner guest.

Travel stories are peopled with diverse characters that reflect different cultures and backgrounds. Nouwen offers his readers a personal glimpse of over 600 people; all sparkle with individual personality and purpose.

Only a talented writer could elicit such strong empathy for the traveler who loses keys for the rental car, drops suitcases on the airport's escalator, and always packs more gifts than necessities. I enjoyed Sabbatical Journey as a well-written travel book with a spiritual perspective.

This book made me feel like the "Beloved", the "Prodigal Son". I have never read a book that made me feel so close to the author. This book made me closer to my God.

Reading Sabbatical Journey became very personal to me; knowing that three weeks after completing the journal he died. He very boldly shared his dreams, ambitions and most of all his personal struggle with his own humanity in such an intimate way that I felt a certain reverance in being allowed to share it. I concluded that behind the author of forty books was a man whose wisdom was shared with all of us and yet whose daily struggle was no different or victorious than ours. Bless his memory!

This volume of journal entries from Henri Nouwen's final year is an amazing and wonderful read. If you have read other Nouwen books, this one offers more insight into the man behind the wise books, and his often painful human struggles. If you are new to Nouwen's writings, this book will introduce you to one of the greatest spiritual writers and teachers of the 20th century.
As he does in most of his books, Nouwen is able to reveal his own struggles as a tool for his readers, but also to explore some very deep, meaningful themes without getting dry and academic. Each of his books is a treasure, and this one ranks right up there with his best, in my opinion. I would highly recommend it!

As has been noted by other reviewers, this book contains some "progressive" ideas. Nouwen does not get up on a soapbox, but he calmly records his opinions and his observations. His compassionate, endearing manner is more effective than the blatantly propagandistic stance we might encounter elsewhere. This is certainly four-star writing, but we reserve the right -- respectfully -- to dissent from Nouwen's dissentings.

These notes were made between two Septembers, 1995 and 1996; Nouwen's death occurred a few weeks after the final entry was made. We see his sympathy for Buddhism and for the current Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church; his fascination with the Olympics and with films about astronauts; his bemused comments on same-sex relationships (there is an ostensible endorsement of "gay" "marriage" will cause a few eyebrows to be raised). We find him reading Matthew Fox, the renegade Dominican; we find him "working out"; we find him meditating in a shrine called The Empty Bell, built by friends in the back of their house; and we find him celebrating the Eucharist in many domestic and companionable settings.

Nouwen's travels take him to California and New Mexico, Holland and Ireland, Watertown and Peapack, Freiburg and Toronto. He speaks warmly of his friends in the Episcopalian communion, the clergywoman Margaret Bullitt-Jonas and the clergyman turned politician Bob Massie. There is much an illumination of Nouwen's relationship with his aging father, whom he visits during the course of this year; there are many glimpses of Nouwen's liberality and liberalism; there is a sense of his ceaseless activity and his desire to learn more and do more up till the very end.

The Crossroad Publishing Company is not renowned for producing books that are unswervingly loyal to the Catholic magisterium; however, this book has considerable appeal. With the caveat that, perhaps, it is not for everyone.

On page 51 in Henri's own words are his personal theology of salvation for the world. It is so good, that he was able to capture this simple idea and present for all who would take time to look. "Every one will be saved." "Anyone can find his own way to God." What a great idea. So let's just not mention John 14:6, "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father but by me," and how Henri's little theory is an utter contradiction to the Bible.