Henri Nouwen on "Can you drink the cup?"

Another thought from Henri Nouwen:

It is the question that has the power to crack open a hardened heart and lay bare the tendons of the spiritual life. Can you drink the cup? Can you empty it to the dregs? Can you taste all the sorrows and joys? Can you live your life to the full whatever it will bring?...

Drinking the cup that Jesus drank is living a life in and with the Spirit of Jesus, which is the Spirit of unconditional love. The intimacy between Jesus and Abba, his Father, is an intimacy of complete trust, in which there are no power games…It is only love-pure, unrestrained, and unlimited love. Completely open, completely free. That intimacy gave Jesus the strength to drink his cup. That same intimacy Jesus wants to give us so that we can drink ours. That intimacy has a Name, a Divine Name. It is called Holy Spirit. Living a spiritual life is living a life in which the Holy Spirit will guide us and give us the strength and courage to keep saying yes to the great question.