Becoming Human

Jean Vanier is my favorite philosopher and spiritual thinker, and although he's a Christian, his teachings have tremendous appeal to people of all religious or non-religious perspectives. What a wonderful, wonderful human being. God bless him! Growing up, I used to eagerly watch Jean Vanier's TV program where he talks about the importance of love and relationship with others, what he calls communion and forming community. And in his sermons he always emphasizes how relationship with a person you care about is more important than material gain. He talks about how materialism satisfies the senses but it leaves an aching emptiness of the soul, which can only be filled by a spiritual relationship with God and an emotional relationship with other people, all based on love. What I love about Vanier's teachings is how he challenges us to open ourselves up to outsiders, especially to those that society sees as weak, different, or inferior, and that by opening up our hearts to them, we can help heal our own inner brokenness as well as theirs. Our world values strength and achievement, but by embracing weakness, we reach a higher inner level of personal compassion and understanding. It's all about learning to accept a person just as he is, rather than shutting oneself off from him simply because he isn't what you expect. It's about unconditional friendship through love, and love through friendship. The people in this world who understand this message and the few who actually live it are truly the blessed of God.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

I was profoundly moved by this book--it is far more insightful, better written, and more sincere than just about any other "spiritual" discourse. Vanier is not someone to promote himself and his ideas. Instead, this short book is straight from the heart of a brilliant man. If only more people read this instead of so much self-indulgent new age literature.

I cannot recommend this strongly enough.

As a young man, Jean Vanier founded the Larch Society. The Larch Society is a network of communities around the world where severly mentally and physically handicapped adults live together with other caring adults in small groups. Through his experiences living with these severly handicapped individuals, Vanier has asked and answered the question, what is the essence of being human. In this eloquently written, thoughtful and thought provoking book, Jean Vanier discussed what he feels truly determines humanity , what makes us more than just talking, intelligent animals. Although Vanier writes from a Christian perspective, this book is for anyone, of any religious or spiritual perspective or belief.

Originally a series of radio broadcasts on the CBC, this delightful little book is a refresher course in being human. In a deceptively simple, meditative style, Jean Vanier shares the wisdom he has gained from years of helping disabled people at the L'Arche communities he founded. Vanier gently explores human frailty and dignity, our need for individual affirmation and loving community, issues of freedom and forgiveness, and the nature of true maturity. Perhaps all disabled people, in the sense that includes everyone, can gain some insight and inspiration here.

I came across this book after reading a footnote in one of Henri Nouwen's book. It first caught my attention in one of Neowen's passages. I was quite intrigued by Vanier's insight and remarks. Once reading Becoming Human I was again reminded of the sanctity of life. "We are simply human beings, enfolded in weakness and in hope, called together to change our world one heart at a time." (p.163)Vanier's insight into the human heart brings a chilling reminder that we are not a society of the strong and intelligent, that is just part of being human. Understanding our weaknesses and brokeness brings us to a fullness that God originaly intended for us.