Centering Prayer – Books about the Spiritual Journey
The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle.
Reviewed by Barbara O’Neal. Photo by Kim Eng, 2002 (found at www.eckharttolle.com).
At the age of 29 German born Eckhart Tolle experienced a profound spiritual awakening in which his psychological suffering dissolved and left him with a deep peace; he has emerged as a spiritual teacher who explains in inspiring, yet simple, practical words how we can also achieve true happiness and peace.
First published in 1998, The Power of Now reached The New York Times best sellers list in December of 2002. The book is in a simple question and answer format, but challenges our mind-based approach to life. It encourages us to sit in silence, to quiet our busy minds in order to experience Presence.
We sit in the silence to meditate with whatever method we find useful; Tolle suggests we watch the breath, being aware of the stillness between breaths. When thoughts and emotions arise, we allow them to be and do not judge. That experience of resting in stillness enables us to be refreshed and deal with life with renewed clarity, not dependent on our false sense of self. We can bring into our everyday life the refreshment of “living in the moment.” By being in the (psychological) Now we can live clearly in linear time.
Tolle describes enlightenment as a “natural state of felt oneness with Being.” He exhorts us to leave our analytical minds to connect to Being, the indestructible essence of God, the One Life. Tolle says that nature, by being deeply rooted in Being, can teach us the essence of sacredness. He describes Being as “the eternal, ever-present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death,” that which cannot be grasped by our minds.
I find Tolle’s teachings compatible with Centering Prayer. The universality of each connects for me in all religious traditions, with Father Keating being specifically centered, of course, in Christ but encompassing all faiths, as does Tolle. As Father Thomas says, “Silence is God’s first language.”
On his web site, a quote from Tolle summarizes the heart of his teaching: “To meet everything and everyone through stillness instead of mental noise is the greatest gift you can offer to the universe. I call it stillness, but it is a jewel with many facets: that stillness is also joy, and it is love.”
The Miracle of Mindfulness, by Thich Nhat Hahn.
Reviewed by Judi Gaitens. Picture Courtesy of Plum Village(France) Web Site
The Miracle of Mindfulness began life as a letter from France by Vietnamese monk, Thich Nhat Hahn to his followers still trying to live an “engaged Buddhism” in war-torn Vietnam. Exiled in France because of his peace activities, Thay (meaning teacher) continued to found relief organizations and inspire workers for peace. Miracle of Mindfulness was Thay’s effort to remind the monks and workers of the need for a calm and peaceful spirit, even in the midst of the most dire circumstances. Since its first English translation in 1975, it has spread across the world and helped establish his reputation as a scholar, writer, and leader.
A slim volume, the book begins with an explanation of the basic mindfulness disciplines and their effects on the person practicing them. The basic principle –taking hold of one’s consciousness–remains the same no matter what one is doing. In meditation, the practice is to acknowledge one’s thoughts as they emerge. For example, when a feeling of sadness arises, the practitioner acknowledges, “a feeling of sadness has just arisen.” It is a method of the mind observing the mind. Its purpose is relaxation and deep rest that brings a calm spirit to the rest of life, especially to those engaged in peace and social service activities.
Outside the meditation time itself, mindfulness refers to keeping one’s consciousness alive to the present reality. For example, when washing the dishes, one is conscious of the movement of hands, of the feel of water and soap, of the change in the dish as one washes; one is not thinking about hurrying through to enjoy a cup of tea or to complete yet another chore! In order to learn the discipline of mindfulness, Thay encourages his followers to take a day each week for a mindfulness day. During that time they are to meditate, read scripture, avoid talk as much as possible, and practice being in the present moment. Meditation and a daily mindfulness practice, Thay counsels, lead to compassion for all of humanity.
Following the chapters on mindfulness and meditation, Thich Nat Hahn inserts exercises in mindfulness, a series of practices in all sorts of body positions and activities, again with the goal of focusing the mind’s attention in a specific moment. The book closes with a personal essay by James Forrest titled “Nhat Hahn: Seeing with the eyes of Compassion,” followed by a selection of Buddhist Sutras, or teachings.
For this reader, Miracle of Mindfulness was a helpful introduction to Buddhist thought, allowing me to see the intertwining of its disciplines with those of Centering Prayer practice. For both, quiet is essential. For both, attention is important. For Centering, however, the most important focus is the intention to consent to God’s will in our lives. It also seems to me that Centering has as its core purpose the deepening of the relationship with God.
For those on what Fr. Keating refers to as the spiritual journey, Thich Nhat Hahn’s advice will sound very familiar: slow the pace of life; make time for special days reinforcing a meditative spirit; and foster compassion in our everyday life. “Mindfulness,” both the book and the practice, can be a helpful companion along the way.
Dark night of the Soul: A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection Between Darkness and Spiritual Growth, by Gerald May. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2005
Reviewed by Carol Eckerman
Gerald May, “Jerry,” has been one of my mentors, both through his books on a contemplative psychology (e.g., Will and Spirit; Care of Mind/Care of Spirit) and through his role as Senior Fellow in Contemplative Theology and Psychology at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. He died this past Spring after a long struggle with congestive heart failure, cancer, and related complications.
“… I am no longer very good at telling the difference between good things and bad things.” These introductory words of Jerry’s first caught me as I read his latest book, and they capture much of the essence of his exploration in this book of the connection between darkness and spiritual growth. Jerry wrote these words in the context of living with congestive heart failure and awaiting a heart transplant, not knowing whether these circumstances were “good” or “bad.” When cancer emerged in his life several years earlier, he had thought cancer “bad.” But the cancer had led to a wonderful deepening of his relationship with God and with family and friends and he had thought that “good.” The chemotherapy he went through he thought “bad,” and yet it had led to his being free of cancer and that seemed “good.” Now, the chemotherapy had led to congestive heart failure. Was the chemotherapy “good” or “bad?” “… I am no longer very good at telling the difference between good things and bad.”
As it turned out, he died not many months after this book was published. Was this “good” or “bad?” His words and his story caught me because they resonated deeply with my own lived experience with quite different happenings thought “good” or “bad.” These words both embrace our poverty of knowledge and express a profound trust in, an acceptance of, our life storiesboth of which I had just come to embrace after sixty years of living.
But these words also capture well a central claim about the connection between darkness and spiritual growththat the “dark night of the soul” refers to the “secret way in which God not only liberates us from our attachments and idolatries, but also brings us to the realization of our true nature.” It is “the means by which we find our heart’s desire, our freedom to love” (p.67). The Spanish word for dark used by John of the Cross, “oscura,” simply means “obscure,” not bad or sinister. After recounting the life stories and theology of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, Jerry proceeds to explain his understanding of their concept of “dark nights”—or times of great obscurity—in terms readily applicable to our own lives.
Three of his points are especially salient to me. First, if you are certain you are having an experience of the dark night, you probably aren’t; as in his experience, people experiencing the dark night almost always think it is something else. Second, although John of the Cross presents the times of dark night as a linear, step-wise progression for the sake of clarity, “the dark night of the soul is not an event one passes through and gets beyond, but rather a deep ongoing process that characterizes our spiritual life” (p. 95). Finally, the process has to be obscure for if we knew what God was doing, we would act to thwart it! There is so much spiritual fruit in this book. I simply invite you to the banquet.
How does this relate to centering prayer? I think this understanding of dark nights is one reflection of living in a stance of unknowingness, trust, and hopeful expectation—all of which for me are aspects of centering prayer. In the open receptivity of centering prayer, in our willingness to let go of concepts, words, and images, and in the trust in God and the hopeful expectation that underlie our continuing practice we express our openness to God’s transformations, to the dark nights of the soul.
Thoughts Matter: The Practice of the Spiritual Life, by Sr. Mary Margaret Funk, OSB.
Reviewed by Amy Johnson
I was first introduced to Thoughts Matter (1998) by Sister Mary Margaret Funk, OSB from discussions on the Spiritus mailing list (see note at end of review). She and her writing were held in such high regard that I had to read this book for myself. I found it to be one of the very best on living a contemplative life today .
Since then, two more books complete this notable trilogy. Sr. Mary Margaret’s book Humility Matters was published a few months ago. This book joins her Thoughts Matter and Tools Matter (2001). All have been published by Continuum Press.
Sr. Meg (as she is referred to) is a member and former Prioress of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana. She is an active leader in the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue and has served as its Executive Director. She has been engaged in ongoing talks among the spiritual traditions including: Zen Buddhist, Islamic, Hindu, Confucian, and Taoist. She has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Contemplative Outreach. In addition to the books mentioned above she has authored several books and written chapters and introductions for many others. She is probably the most prolific writer on the ascetic life you never read!
At first, the ideas that “thoughts matter” and “no thought is worth thinking” are such an obvious paradox that it doesn’t require an explanation. When I introduced these two ideas together at a prayer workshop, the participants actually bristled at the notion they were compatible! Those who practice centering prayer however know this is the core of prayer life. “Pure prayer is beyond thoughts.” Thoughts matter because “if I linger on a thought, this thought places an obstacle between me and union with God.”
Thoughts Matter is based on John Cassian’s fourth century writings on the teachings and practices of the desert fathers and mothers and The Rule of St Benedict. Each chapter of Sr. Meg’s book explores thoughts about food, sex, things, anger, dejection, spiritual apathy, vainglory, and pride. If we are to follow Cassian’s and Benedict’s teachings to draw closer to God, the letting go of thoughts about these passions is essential to our spiritual journey. She writes:
To renounce one’s thoughts may seem out-of-date to a casual observer—harsh, foreboding, even unrelenting. Yet the theory about this, developed over 2,000 years ago, is being rediscovered and re-appropriated in our time by both mystics and scholars. A mind at peace, stilled, available for conscious thinking at will is of major value for those of us who confront chaos, confusion, noise, and numbness as we move into the third millennium.
In the last chapter “About Pride” she ends:
Mary Mrozowski, one of the founding mothers of the Centering Prayer movement, said ”No thought is worth thinking about.” Was she talking about the fleetingness of time, about how thoughts often bypass present awareness? Or was she saying that friendship with God, who is beyond thought, is infinitely preferable? I think “no thought is worth thinking about” means all of the above and more. No matter which thought it is, whether of food, sex, or things, the same response is fitting: lay it aside and remember God. The grace to lay aside all other thoughts other than the Beloved is a treasure from the desert bequeathed to all of us. Deep relationships rest beyond all thoughts. If we let God be God in our innermost life, then thoughts don’t matter after all.
As I prepared for writing this review I was again overwhelmed by Sr. Meg’s wisdom and the clarity of her writing. Her scholarship is impeccable and the bibliography is very useful. I do hope you pick this book up and read it. It is a treasure!
Note: To explore the Spiritus list serve, go to Contemplative Outreach web site , www.centeringprayer.com, press Links, and find Spiritus in the right-hand column.
The Cloud of Unknowing, anonymous, and The Loving Search for God, by Fr. Wm. Meninger, OCSO
Reviewed by Mike Mazanek
Part I
Editor’s Note: Though our reviews of books are usually single volume overviews, this month’s reviewer, Mike Mazanek of St. Andrew’s in Apex, has tackled two books with a strong internal connection: The Cloud of Unknowing (anonymous) and The Loving Search for God by Fr. Wm. Meninger. Having begun to read the Cloud, Mike found out about Fr. Meninger’s book and its relationship to the Cloud, and decided to read them together. Once I found out he was using this unusual approach I asked him to report to the network on the results of his experience.
Reviewer’s Note.: Because both books are so thought provoking and contain wonderful diversions, I had some difficulty digesting the content of both concurrently. I sometimes lost track of which one I was actually pondering after having read one, then the other, then having the concepts and insights from both mixing in my mind together. But I had already begun this project and having agreed to share my effort I couldn’t turn back–PRIDE!
Background and Organization of the Writings
If not the preeminent, The Cloud of Unknowing (Cloud) is certainly one of the most foundational and widely known English language books on Contemplation in Western spirituality. Had I known of it before I began my Contemplative journey, I would have read it as my introduction to the “work of contemplation” as the author likes to refer to our practice. The Cloud is, in fact, one of four treatises written in 14th century middle English by an anonymous English mystic, theologian (probably a priest), and spiritual advisor. The version I read was edited into modern English by William Johnston.
The Loving Search for God (Search) was written in 1992 by Fr. William Meninger, a peer of Frs. Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating. He was probably the first of these three to use the Cloud in teaching Centering Prayer. Fr. Meninger was also the first to undertake Fr. Keating’s challenge of the mid 1970s for one of the Trappist monks of Saint Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, MA to find a way to share the “treasure [of Christian Contemplation] with young Christians who seemed to be defecting wholesale to Eastern meditation practices” (Ch. 6, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, C.Bourgeault).
Fr. Meninger authored the Search, not as a translation or paraphrasing of the Cloud but, rather, as a set of parallel thoughts using life experiences, metaphors and scripture to illuminate the Cloud teachings for the modern reader. After more than 100 readings of the Cloud himself, and after speaking with others who also had read it, Fr. Meninger concluded that many readers were not relating to the style or terminology of the Cloud, and were missing much of the depth and beauty of the book (Introduction, Search).
To my immediate joy, I found that both of the books were written in very short chapters — a key for me to maintaining a high interest level. The Cloud is segmented into 75 chapters, and the Search into 138. Because the Search has expansions and digressions, the correlation is not one-on-one with Cloud. For instance, Chapter 29 of the Search actually references Chapter 23 of The Cloud.
Shared Concepts
A Personal Guide. Primarily these writings both cover the what, why, how and nuances of Contemplation including its value to the Church as a whole. Within and surrounding this foundation, the authors also address other pertinent and useful topics, sometimes with wonderful diversions, including the Distractions that can disrupt Contemplative Prayer, the roles of Perseverance, and Will and Desire in continuing the practice, the roles of Humility and Forgiveness (of self and others) required to refine and temper one’s practice.
Considering the primary focus of the books, it comes as no surprise then that both espouse to be the respective author’s attempt at writing a humble “practical guide to Contemplative Prayer.” They do so in a first-person narrative that begins with a very loving, personal invitation to Contemplation. There is throughout in a pastoral tone of advice, counsel and, sometimes, chastisement that felt to me as if it were coming from my personal Spiritual Director beside me.
“Dear friend, I am not deceiving you. I have said that loving God is very simple, even easy. You know this yourself. At the same time I must tell you that it can be difficult.” (Search, Chapter 24)
Christ Centered. Of utmost importance to me, both books establish Christ at the center of, and as the permeating presence in Contemplative Prayer. I cannot paraphrase what the authors have to say, and how they express this, but I recommend the discussion on this subject by the Editor of the Cloud in his Introduction. In this discussion he shares the belief that by His resurrection, Christ was made co-extensive (boundaryless) with the universe, and this “Cosmic Christ” permeates Contemplation. To me, this was a revelation in words of what I have come to believe through my own faith walk regarding how God and Christ are real and truly present to, and within, each of us.
The Core is Love. Another easily accepted concept for me is the premise of both authors that Love is the core reason for Contemplative Prayer. As I have termed it, I am now seeking God by “being” and trying to allow Him to fill with a greater presence of Him, and a lesser will of my own. As the author of the Cloud puts it,
“In the contemplative work, God is loved above every creature purely and simply for His own sake. Indeed, the very heart of this work is nothing else but a naked intent toward God for His own sake.” (Cloud, Ch.24).
Similarly, Fr. Meninger writes, “When we practice the meditation of contemplative prayer, we love God for Godself alone.” (Search, Ch.23).
All Are Called. Finally, an extremely important precept for me as set forth by both authors is that all may be called to Contemplation! Again, I felt completely free to accept this assertion – particularly since I began my Contemplative journey some years ago before I realized there were those who thought it should be limited to only the monastics, the mystics or only the religious who can achieve such a lofty relationship with God. Indeed, the author of the Cloud seems to set such a standard when one first reads his requirements for who should undertake the work: “If you ask who should take up Contemplation I would reply: all those who have sincerely forsaken the world and who have set aside the concerns of the active life.” (Cloud, Chapter 27) But later on he claims that if one has been away from contemplation (“this work”) for a while, and finds in himself the “desire for it renewed,” he can be assured that “God is calling him to Contemplation, regardless of what sort of person he is now or has been in the past.” (Cloud, Chapter 75)
Fr. Meninger is more generous on the subject from the very start of his discussion with a series of questions:
“Who should engage in this loving Search? My answering question is, Whom does God love? For whom did Jesus die? Who are God’s children? Who is called to a union of eternal love with God in heaven? Does that answer the question for you? Does that include yourself?” (Search, Chapter 26)
In a nutshell, I believe both of these authors, and the signs deep in my soul say that although not all are called to Contemplative Prayer, God does call all of us to Himself simply because He loves us all, and station of life is not the determining factor as to the way in which we can or should direct our prayer lives and practices.
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Treatment of Charismatic Gifts. An area of contrast between the two writings with significant meaning to me was the treatment of praying aloud, praying in Tongues, and the fear some people have of Contemplative Prayer as a form of “navel gazing” or opening oneself to being led astray by Satan. Remembering that the Cloud was written in the fourteenth century when I don’t imagine the common knowledge of Charismatic practices was widespread, the Cloud devotes just a single chapter to “internally versus externally derived consolations, sounds, joys and delights”, as he puts it.
The Search, on the other hand, expands this into several chapters on the practice of praying in Tongues and the fears that some “who are ignorant of Contemplative Prayer” have. Once again, as one with a Charismatic background which I credit as having a great deal to do with my personal growth, I was very happy to see this much treatment of these ancient gifts of the spirit. However, I’m afraid this particular discourse will leave those who are not acquainted with this prayer form confused due to what seems to me to be an excessively lengthy, complex and rambling coverage of the subject. To me it is very simple. The gift of tongues is practiced in two forms: Prophecy (requiring interpretation) and Praise (not requiring interpretation). Also important for Charismatics is the similarity of Contemplation to Resting or being Slain in the Spirit. They both represent an acceptable emptying of self, allowing God to prevail.
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Part II
Editor’s Note: This is the second part of a review by Mike Mazanek (St. Andrew the Apostle, Apex) of two books about the Spiritual life written on the same theme though centuries apart, The Cloud of Unknowing, anonymous, and The Loving Search for God, by Fr. Wm. Meninger. Having begun to read the Cloud, Mike found out about its relationship to the Search, and decided to read them together.
Key Concepts of the Writings
Contemplation is the work of the highest Phases, or Levels, of Christian life. In concert with contemplative precepts that the authors share, both relate our spiritual growth to frameworks of increasing dedication to God.
| Cloud Phases | Search Levels | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect | Unitive | The highest and final manner of living The way of the Saints but nonetheless one to which we are all called |
| Singular
Special |
Illuminative | Drawn by God to the solitary core of our being Full recognition of God’s love for us, and fervent desire to love in return God’s love awakens us to a more special interior life with Him |
| Common | Purgative | Aware of our attraction to God, but hot, then cold, then lukewarm A common, ordinary belief in God with no particular direction |
The Cloud attributes its four phases to the observations of its author, while the Search traces its three levels to Christian tradition. Of significant note to practitioners of Centering Prayer is Fr. Meninger’s observation that we spend most of our time between these levels, and Contemplation may begin in the Illuminative level where “we are willing to start over as often as it is necessary.” Likewise, the Cloud asserts that Contemplation may begin in the Singular phase, and that the Perfect phase cannot be completed in this life. Sound familiar?
Contemplation is a mystical, incomprehensible act of will to love God. According to the Cloud, Contemplation is a call by God awakening a desire for Him within, and drawing us into a more and more “perfect experience of Him.” We leave all thoughts and concepts within the Cloud of Forgetting, and raise our hearts toward God who resides in the Cloud of Unknowing (reflecting our human inability to truly understand and conceive of God). Between Forgetting and Unknowing we “lift our naked intent toward God, and the desire for Him alone is enough.”
Fr. Meninger describes Contemplation as growth beyond our ordinary belief in God – we search for a mystical union with Him. The desire does not emanate from us, however; it is our response to God’s invitation. We “reach out and will (ourselves) to love God. Gradually we find our days more and more filled with this love, spilling over into all that we do”. We find ourselves fervently seeking to love God – it becomes a way of life.
While the Cloud uses the clouds of Forgetting and Unknowing for conceptualizing Contemplation, Fr. Meninger uses the metaphor of rooms in a house – presumably one of his alternatives to illuminate the teachings of the Cloud for the modern reader. Within this house there are two connecting rooms where two sisters live, Miss Intellect and Miss Will. Miss Intellect seems to represent the natural good in humanity, and constantly seeks all that is true. Miss Will is the natural desire to love God, and freely accepts all that her sister shows her; embracing it with love. Further, two more sisters, Miss Memory and Miss Imagination, are used in his metaphor to represent the noise (distractions) that keep us from focusing on God. As for me, I related quite readily to the Cloud analogy!
Contemplation, the highest prayer form? Clearly, both authors see Contemplation as a spiritual fruit that enters Christian life only after considerable awareness of God, and humble response to His call. And, while neither work makes an explicit point of Contemplation being the best, or the greatest prayer form, both relate “…its excellence over all other works” (Cloud, Chapter 3 Heading), and that “It is more valuable and efficacious than any explicit, external prayers begging for God’s kindness to manifest itself on our needs or those of others.” (Search, Chapter 8)
Personal Highlights of the Writings
There were several areas in these works of utmost enjoyment, edification and spiritual growth to me in addition to the treatments on All are called to Contemplation, and Praying in Tongues shared in Part 1 of this review.
The loftiest and surest way to heaven is measured by desires and not by mile. I was taken back when I read in the Cloud that “The access to heaven is through desire.” Because it so closely resonates the theme I have held dear in my walk for so long that continually trying to do His will is what He asks of us. To find myself in tune with someone in our heritage from so long ago was a great delight. After all, I’ve been told for many years that I march to the beat of a different drummer! And later, the author goes even further to say that “The path to heaven is measured by desire and not by miles (presumably meaning accomplishments or stature), and that “love and desire constitute the life of the Spirit.” Needless to say, my joy saw no end as I found myself in the reflective company of at least one 14th century Christian leader, an age where I imagine a much more parochial view of how one gains access to heaven had to be the norm.
Martha the Active, Mary the Contemplative. The Cloud presents in detailed narrative a personal view of Mary at Jesus’ feet totally oblivious to all aspects of His humanity in a state of utter and complete Contemplative Prayer – “Mary turned to Jesus with all the love of her heart, unmoved by what she saw or heard spoken…in perfect stillness with…love intent upon that Cloud of Unknowing between her…God.” (Cloud, Chapter 17)
That is certainly not the way I had ever read this scripture, nor ever had it presented to me. Certainly, the Gospel leads one to believe that Mary was very content to listen to Jesus teach and do nothing to help Martha prepare the room or the meal – to the definite chagrin of Martha as supported by the scripture – but to establish as fact that she was in such a state was beyond my acceptance. Could this be one of the areas of the Cloud where modern readers have difficulty in following, or accepting, the writer’s style as I did?
In contrast to this authoritative style, the Search credits church tradition as the source of Mary being symbolic of the contemplative aspects of the loving search. Fr Meninger also places emphasis on how we are “more a combination of Martha and Mary” than we are one or the other, at any point in time. He also shares remembering a Holy Land visit when he stayed near Bethany and could literally sense the very presence of Christ and the sisters. I much more readily accepted his view of Mary as a representation of the Contemplative life – especially when thinking in terms of myself.
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A prayer beyond abandonment: The Search sheds new insight to the suffering of Christ through an explanation of Psalm 22 which provided me one of the deepest and most passionate reading experiences I have had in my Christian walk. As Fr. Meninger explains, Jesus surely knew the psalm by heart and probably prayed it in its entirety as He hung on the cross rather than just praying the familiar, “My God, My God why have you abandoned me?” He also explains that Jesus could probably see the temple and the crowds of worshippers.
Within this context, and by dissecting the psalm into meaningful and understandable sub-groups of verses over some 20 chapters, Fr. Meninger then deftly explains the deeper meaning of each part of the psalm, and what Christ may have been thinking, hearing and seeing as He suffered. Imagine, as Jesus watched the hundreds of worshippers at the very place where He had taught them, where He had been acclaimed by them and where He knew His Father was, He was hanging on a cross in excruciating pain, by His own choice, for these very people; all but naked; and He was alone. Is it any wonder He cried out in abject despair and emotional anguish – Daddy, Daddy where are you! Finally, Jesus gave Himself knowing that God was no longer with the people He so loved when the temple curtain was torn.
Having experienced times in my life when family and friends minimized and doubted me as a person, this new context brought the magnitude of suffering and emotional anguish by Jesus to an entirely new level for me, and I was in tears as I read and reread, pondered and struggled to picture the unimaginable in my mind. I cannot describe the heights of prayer and emotion that Fr. Meninger imparts to the reader, but I will share some of the new meaning I received from his description of the psalm in the hope that it will draw you to read his work.
First, I admit that I regrettably had never gotten beyond the abandonment of the first line of the psalm. This is probably why I am dismayed at the fact that the very next group of verses immediately sets a new tone in acknowledging that God had always been a constant presence to His people, and still was because Jesus realized that He was only fulfilling His Father’s perfect will, not being abandoned. From reconciliation, the psalm turns into a veritable description of the Messiah’s mistreatment and suffering which cannot be mistaken by Christians for anything short of the crucifixion. Finally, the psalm ends with verbose praising of God to all manner of creation from the ends of the earth, to the heavenly congregation, to the unborn. So much more than I ever heard before!
Summary
I do wish I had read the Cloud at the beginning of my Contemplative walk where its role as a primer would have had more impact on the formation of my life, however, I am certainly not sorry to have found the work at this stage of my walk. It clearly provided me with more understanding and deeper insight to the meaning of Contemplation. It easily fulfills its intended role as a primer with its delightfully straightforward, even simple, explanations and descriptions of what Contemplation is, how it is accomplished and why it is to be attempted.
But the Cloud goes beyond being a Primer by delving into the deep nuances of Contemplation. As a result, it was confusing at times as it rambled back and forth between the nuances and fundamentals of Contemplation, and I felt a lack of transition between sections added to by the back-tracking over previously covered ground at times (at least it seems so to me). Having said that, however, please do not be dissuaded because I’m quite sure much of my difficulty was, at least due in part, to my reading the books concurrently. And it was only at times!
As I believe is obvious from my remarks, for me, the Search was less Primer and much more about added insights and deeper spiritual meaning in my Contemplative walk. To be fair, I can see how the expansions and digressions of Fr. Meninger are helpful to some in better understanding the Cloud, and some of the exceptional content of this book makes its reading a must for new spiritual insight. Need I say that the revelations on Psalm 22 alone made the Search worth reading for me, but I did find deep insight and great satisfaction in reading this articulate work cover to cover, including a treatment of the Lord’s Prayer similar to that of Psalm 22.
Thought-provoking, instructive and reinforcing. I will read both of these books again with much cross-referencing, but not concurrently! And I will surely obtain my own copy of each before reading them again – copies to freely mark up and make notes in for future reference! Finally, in closing, I must again address the Pastoral tone and succinctness in chapter structure of both works because these styles enabled me to read them completely and concurrently
My Life With the Saints by James Martin, SJ
Reviewed by Louise Kowalski
Earlier this year while preparing for a private multi-day silent retreat I packed several books, and among them was My Life with the Saints. It became “the jewel in the crown” of my spiritual reading during those days in solitude. The book profiles seventeen meaningful “saints, holy persons, and companions” of its author, James Martin, S.J., who seamlessly weaves his own often witty, self-effacing spiritual memoir into each story. It’s Martin’s personal remembrances, as much as the saints he profiles, that I found so appealing.
The book is divided into seventeen chapters, one for each saint, who span Christian history – from Mary to Mother Teresa, St. Ignatius to Thomas Merton. They all begin with Martin’s personal recollections of how he was introduced to each saint.
For instance, the introductory Chapter 1, entitled “The Saint of the Sock Drawer” opens with: “When I was nine, my greatest pleasure was ordering things through the mail.” The author then relates his childish desire to order a statue of St. Jude, seen in a magazine ad, because he was the patron of hopeless causes. Martin thought: “who knew what help someone like that could give me?”
These engaging recollections lead into well researched, detailed biographies and conclude with reflections on how the saint has been a holy example and companion, and the circumstances in which he calls on that saint’s intercession. All the stories are not created equal, however. For instance, when writing about St. Francis of Assisi, Martin also profiles a Chicago street gang minister who mirrors many of Francis’ spiritual qualities, but doesn’t spell out his own personal devotion to the saint, which was disappointing.
By contrast, the chapter on Thomas Merton stands out as one of the finest in the book because it provides the jumping off point for Martin’s own story of conversion. He relates how he came back to his New York apartment after a miserable day at work and stumbled on a public-television documentary called Merton: A Film Biography.
The following day, he tracked down Merton’s autobiography, The Seven Story Mountain. Martin discovered he and Merton shared the same struggles of pride, ambition, and selfishness. He also discovered he and Merton wondered about the purpose of life and who God is? He writes: “As I read the book, his search became my search, and I longed to know where his life would lead.” Thomas Merton’s story proved to be a pivotal event in Martin’s own call to the priesthood.
By the book’s end, I felt Fr. James Martin was a friend. He’s someone I’d like to spend an evening with over a meal, listening to his wry humor and his stories. He’s not afraid to laugh at himself and is very candid about his strengths and shortcomings. His life, like the saints he profiles, has been one full of challenges and grace.
From his lukewarm Catholic childhood, to a degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in the 1980s, followed by six years working in the corporate world, Martin finally followed the call to a life of service and was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1999. A prolific spiritual author, he is currently the Cultural Editor of America, the Jesuit national Catholic magazine. His Jesuit training included working in a Jamaican hospice for the sick and dying, helping refugees in East Africa start small businesses, and working with street-gangs in Chicago. His love for the Jesuits, and for the saints in his book is a reflection of a life that has found meaning in having less and responding to the call of his God.
This book gave me a new understanding of how the Communion of Saints is at work in the world. I had never been one to call on the saints for help, but I came away with a different perspective. These holy men and women each have a strength, a strong point, something that made their life unique, and by my calling on them, they become friends and helpers on my journey. Fr. Martin puts it this way:
Why is a person attracted to one saint and not another? Why do stories of people whose lives have, at least on the surface so little in common with our own speak to us? … In many ways an attraction or a devotion to a saint is, to use an overused expression, a mystery. But because of this, such devotions need to be reverenced for what they are – unexpected graces in the spiritual life and gifts from the God of surprises. (p. 344)
My Life with the Saints is a book I hope others will not only read and enjoy, but also be inspired to make these holy people and Fr. James Martin their friends.