In a Prison Without Walls

From The Road to Daybreak by Henri J.M. Nouwen:
Thursday, July 3

A very intense day. Many people came by for the Sacrament of Reconciliation or just to talk about their pains and fears. As I listened to their feelings of loneliness, rejection, guilt and shame, I became overwhelmed by the sense of isolation we human beings can feel. While our sufferings are so similar and our struggles so much a part of our shared humanity, we often live as if we are the only ones who experience the pain that paralyzes us! At one point during the day I felt a desire to bring together all those who had spoken to me this day. I wanted to ask them to share their stories with one another so that they could discover how much they had in common and in this way become a source of consolation and comfort to each other.

Why do we keep hiding our deepest feelings from each other? We suffer much, but we also have great gifts of healing for each other. The mystery is that by hiding our pain we also hide our ability to heal. Even in such a loving and caring community as this, there is more loneliness than necessary. We are called to confess to each other and forgive each other, and thus to discover the abundant mercy of God. But at the same time, we are so terribly afraid of being hurt more than we already are. This fear keeps us prisoners, even when the prison has no walls! I see better every day how radical Jesus' message of love really is.