God loves you, Brennan Manning RIP

It seems that Ragamuffin-in-Chief Brennan Manning has passed after a long illness and decline.

I read his memoir, All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir, in January 2012 (I have read several of his books).

Brennan Manning- like me, one of those jars of clay St. Paul wrote about

Manning was in many ways a troubled soul, one who had a difficult relationship with the Church (to state it nicely), this is why he was such a perfect messenger for God's mercy. Manning didn't just teach and preach, but showed us how much God loves us no matter how screwed up you are, or how screwed up you see yourself.

Here's what he wrote in his memoir, which I "poached" from an old post by the late Michael Spencer, the IMonk, who was surely, in many ways (not all), a kindred spirit with Brennan.

Warning: Mine has been anything but a straight shot, more like a crooked path filled with thorns and crows and vodka. Prone to wander? You bet. I’ve been a priest, then an ex-priest. Husband, then ex-husband. Amazed crowds one night and lied to friends the next. Drunk for years, sober for a season, then drunk again. I’ve been John the beloved, Peter the coward, and Thomas the doubter all before the waitress brought the check. I’ve shattered every one of the Ten Commandments six times Tuesday. And if you believe that last sentence was for dramatic effect, it wasn’t

I'm pretty sure Michael and Rich Mullins are there for him, ragamuffins all. I read Manning's autobiography on the first anniversary of my Dad's passing. Something from his book helped me through my grief. I wrote about it: How does grace work?

Your trust in Jesus will lead you home dear brother. Rest in His arms.