A Catholic Priest who became a monastic, and also an alcoholic; who after going through recovery began to write on the love of God. Through his book, Abba's Child, I was set free of the thought that my performance and efforts were what caused God to love me. When I read "The Ragamuffin Gospel" I was undone. No Protestant who should believe in grace through faith quite captured the heart of the gospel as he did.
Brennan learned all of this in both serving and in recovery.
It all started for him very early. In February 1956, while Brennan was meditating on the Stations of the Cross, a powerful experience of the personal love of Jesus Christ sealed God's call on his life. "At that moment, the entire Christian life became for me an intimate, heartfelt relationship with Jesus."
In the late 1960's he journeyed to Spain and lived in a monastic order serving the poor in a rural village. During that time he lived for six months alone, in a cave, practicing the solitary and contemplative prayer life of the desert fathers. During his retreat in this cave, he was powerfully convicted by the revelation of God's love in sending his Son to be crucified. One mid-winter's night he heard from the Lord:
"For love of you I left my Father's side. I came to you who ran from me, who fled me, who did not want to hear my name. For love for you I was covered in spit, punched and beaten, and fixed to the wood of the cross."
Later Brennan who say of that event, "those words are burned into my life. That night, I learned what a wise old Franciscan told me the day I joined the Order - 'Once you come to know the love of Jesus Christ, nothing else in the world will seem as beautiful or desirable."
I wanted to blog on him because his writings are so simply profound. A new book has come out and I am anxious to read it and recommend it to you also: "All is Grace" is a memoir on his Ragamuffin life.
There is a powerful video of this is on You Tube. You can find it at:
As you watch this, realize just essential his message is not only for a lost and dying world; but also for us as individuals who believe and love poorly.
Peace
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