Flying Falling Catching

A visit to the circus caught Henri Nouwen’s imagination. He was enthralled by the trapeze artistes and such was his interest that a deep friendship developed between Nouwen and Rodleigh and his fellow artistes. Nouwen always intended to write a book about his experiences with them – and Carolyn Whitney-Brown has carefully and movingly completed that work, linking it to Henri’s experience of the hospitalisation that shortly preceded his unexpected death. It’s a great book with extensive quotes from Henri’s note, so very much an editing and collaborative exercise.

I particularly like his comment following a conversation with one of the catchers - “Do you like your job?” I asked. He smiled at me and said very emphatically: “I love it. I love being in the catch bar and catching them!” It was clear he meant what he said. Having seen the act many times, I became aware of the unique role of the catcher. “You are not as much in the limelight as the flyers, but without you nothing can happen,” I said. He was quick to respond. “I really like it that way. The flyer gets all the attention, but their lives depend on the catcher! I don’t want all the applause. I like what I am doing, and I have to give it all I’ve got. It’s an important job to catch, and I love it, but I am glad to be a little less visible than the rest of them.”

Henri (and Carolyn) link that to the notion of God catching us. I like that. It’s a good reminder of the difficulty – but importance – of letting go.

But, of course, there is often more than one perspective, and different things to learn. Our task is to be the body of Christ in the world – and a helpful thought about that is offered in the account of a conversation between Henri and a friend of his, Joan – “Later, over dinner, Joan had something on her mind. “Henri,” she said, then paused. Usually it was Henri who had new insights into God. “You know what you were saying about God, for us, with us, within us? Have you ever thought that when you say Mass and lift the bread and say ‘the Body of Christ,’ it is like the trapeze act you’re always talking about? It’s as if Jesus flies to you, and you are the catcher.””