From The Bishop

In the Gospel of John, Jesus states, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10) Jesus did not say that he came to bring us a life that was free from problems or difficulties. He did not say that he came so that we could have a perfect life. The adjective that he uses to describe the life he offers is "abundantly." What does this mean? Recently, the world lost a great Canadian who understood what it meant to live life abundantly. Jean Vanier was the son of the 19th Governor General of Canada, George Vanier, and his wife, Pauline Vanier. Coming from a wealthy and influential family, Vanier had many options open to him regarding education and a career. He began with the Royal Navy and eventually focused on furthering his education. He received a doctorate in philosophy and taught for a brief period of time at University of Toronto (St. Michael's College). Throughout his early life, Vanier always seemed to be searching for something. Coming from a strong Catholic family, he understood that God wanted him to do something with his life; however, he was not sure what that was. He was searching, hoping that the Holy Spirit would lead him. In 1964 he left Canada in order to visit a dear family friend, Rev. Thomas Philippe. This priest lived in France and was a chaplain at a small institution in Trosly-Breuil that cared for men with developmental disabilities. Vanier bought a small home in that same village. When he witnessed the loneliness of the residents, he began to understand the transformative power of friendship and acceptance. He welcomed three residents into his home and named the new community L'Arche (The Ark). People were drawn to his community and it began to grow into a movement. Today there are approximately 149 L'Arche communities in over 38 countries. There are approximately 32 communities across Canada (Statistics from L'Arche Canada Website). Vanier had found his life's vocation and understood that the "fullness of life" that Jesus promised is not found in material possessions, power, or prestige. The most perfect expression of 'fullness' can be found in community where the simple gifts of love and friendship are shared with others. In his book "Community and Growth," Vanier writes, "When people love each other, they are content with very little. When we have light and joy in our hearts, we don't need material wealth. The most loving communities are often the poorest. If our own life is luxurious and wasteful, we can't approach poor people. If we love people, we want to identify with them and share with them." This is one of the guiding principles of L'Arche. Vanier realized that people with disabilities are a gift not a burden. In their simplicity and vulnerability they reveal the love of Christ. We begin to see that the measure of a person is not simply based on the ability to work, to be smart, or to be interesting. These beautiful people help to show us what is most important in life. One of the deepest desires is to belong and feel part of a community. In a world where a growing number of people feel isolated, insignificant and unloved, L'Arche has provided hope to people who have felt rejected by a society that does not seem to value what is less than perfect. At 90 years of age God has called Vanier home. We are grateful for his Christian witness and pray that he may now be given the fullest share of the abundant life â€" an eternity with the God he so loved. Photo Captions and Credits: In this 2018 file photo, Jean Vanier founder of L'Arche communities poses for a photograph after receiving the Templeton Prize at St Martins-in-the-Fields church in London. Vanier, a Canadian religious figure whose charity work helped improve conditions for the developmentally disabled in multiple countries, died May 7 in Paris at 90. - Alastair Grant , The Associated Press Source: https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/opinion-story/9400189-faith-matters-jean-vanier-helped-show-how-to-live-life-abundantly-/