Spiritual Book News Volume 55, No. 2

8/9/2019 Spiritual Book News Volume 55, No. 2

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FEATURED SELECTION

March 2010

A P U B L I C A T I O N O FS P I R I T U A L B O O K AS S O C I A T E S

Volume 55, No. 2 / March 2010

www.spiritualbookassoc.org

COME HOMEA Prayer Journey to the Center WithinMarie Schwan, C.S.J.

The image of home is a powerful spiritual theme with deep im-plications in the gospels, particularly in difficult times and in anincreasingly online society.In Come Home, trusted spiritual directorMarie Schwan blends insights from centering prayer with Ignatian andtwelve-step spirituality, gently guiding readers to discover and em-brace the wonder of Gods presence within them.

Schwans lifelong ministry has been devoted to spiritual guidance:she has served at retreat centers; as formation director for her religiouscommunity; and as an author whose expertise in centering prayer, Ig-natian spirituality, and twelve-step programs has touched countlesspeople.

ISBN: 9781594712296 / 128 pages / $12.95

A PREVIEW OF THE APRIL SELECTION

WATER, WIND, EARTH, AND FIREThe Christian Practice of Praying with the ElementsChristine Valters Paintner

Noted spiritual guide and author Christine Valters Paintner offers a richexploration of the four elementswater, wind, earth, and fireand shedslight on how meaningful engagement with the natural world can enhancethe experience of Christian prayer.

ISBN: 9781933495224 / 160 pages / $14.95


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GPS FORTHE SP IRITUAL JOURNEY

Thornton Wilder had this to say about home: Whenyoure safe at home, you wish you were having an adven-ture; when youre having an adventure, you wish you were

safe at home. For the spir itual seeker, Come Home: A PrayerJourney to the Center Withinis a marvelous guide and com-panion. Embracing both the adventure and safety of the spiri-tual journey, Sr. Marie Schwans gentle tone and instructionlead the reader to a deeper relationship with God.

Come Homedevelops some of the simple yet profound ba-sics of the spiritual journey for the seeker:

have an open and willing heart;

give daily attention to our relationship with God;

discover a place of safety to share this relationship;

be open to a dynamic relationship.

An open and willing heart: The books title is born of SrMaries experience when she and other members of her NewOrleans community (the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet)

were forced to evacuate their homes during Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath, Sr. Marie grieved the loss of her homeand all that was familiar to her. In that moment, she connected

with the grief of all those who were displaced. As she reflected,she prayed, O God, your other name is home.

Our God is a God who calls us home to that place withinus that is at once our own heart and Gods own dwelling,she writes. Just as the seeker longs for deeper connection toGod, our God yearns for us. Thus, even as lifes events maydisrupt our comfort zone, an open heart will seek solace inour God who is a constant in this sea of change.

Daily attention to our relationship with God: As with any

important relationship in our lives, we must spend time on aregular basis with our beloved. Prayer is, in its purest formtime spent with God. Our personal relationship with God isnurtured in prayer, both individually and communally. ComHome provides several suggestions for personal prayerincluding centering prayer and kythingwith simple instructions. Our Church gives us many opportunities for communaexpression of our relationship with God, including liturgiessacraments, and observing the Sabbath day. These are essen-tial to the centered seeker to know that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

Discovering a place of safety to attend to this relation-ship: James Fowler, in his seminal work The Stages of Faithdescribes human faith as taking form in our earliest relationships with those who provided care for us. Sr. Maries teaching builds on this idea as she acknowledges that many of uscarry scars from the wounds of past hurts. If a person grewup in an abusive environment, for example, he or she may beafraid to pursue a relationship with God. Sr. Marie offers theseeker wonderful consolation when she asserts, There is aplace deep within us where God dwells, a place where no manno woman, no angel, no demon can penetrate. There it is onlyGod and you.

Centering Prayer is one way to discover this place, and toreturn there. Sr. Marie suggests making a commitment to this

prayer, twice a day, for one month. People who practice thisform of prayer on a regular, daily basis, reports Sr. Mariediscover that their thinking is more clear and decisive, andthat they are more peaceful as they go about their day. Thiprayer will also heal our uncenteredness and impact our re-lationships with others and the institutions in which we serveand work.

Another powerful means to stay centered on a daily basiis the practice of the awareness examen. Part of the Ignatianspiritual tradition, the daily examen is an expression of grati-tude, joy, repentance, and growth for the seeker. Sr. Marie


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RE A D E R S G R O U P G U I D

FOR GROUP ENRICHM ENT

AN ACTIVITYFOR PERSONAL ENRICHM ENT

provides a wonderful process, steeped in human expressionand experience, for this daily practice. Through it, instant con-nections are made between the days events and our responsein faith to them. The seekers heart is opened to divine guid-ance. Thus, this holy relationship with our Creator is manifestmore fully in our daily lives.

A dynamic relationship:As the seeker explores the centerwithin, he or she will be invited beyond the comfortable andfamiliar.Our Creator God will challenge perceptions and be-haviors, and call us to live in ways we might not expect forourselves. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so highare my ways above your ways and my thoughts above yourthoughts, says the Lord Isaiah 55:9 (NAB). While always safein the arms of a loving God, the seeker will still be free to ven-ture into unexplored territory.

One powerful example of this dynamic relationship is fea-tured in Come Homes reflection on Mary, the first to say yesto a life centered in Christ. Sr. Marie beautifully describes themany opportunities Mary had to bring the fullness of God

into our world, including her role as Mother of God and athe Pentecost event. She stepped out of the safe confines oher expected life and opened herself to be Gods instrument

As our first disciple, Marys unreserved participation in herelationship with God is a model for all seekers.

We may wonder what Marys thoughts were as Gabriel visited her in the safety of her home, or as she traveled to seeher cousin Elizabeth. Did this young girl long for adventurbefore the act of tending a home consumed her life? Or didshe dream of her safe home, surrounded by love and care, ashe gave birth in the stable? In these ways, the seeker of todafinds comfort in Marys story.

Whether new to the journey or further along the road, aof us on a spiritual quest will alternate between adventurand safety on our way to the precious center of our being. AThornton Wilder suggests, both are dimensions of this experience we know as home. Fortunately, we have Come Hometoserve as a GPS for our souls!

Come Home: A Prayer Journey to the Center Withinis rec-ommended for prayer or faith sharing groups that havebeen meeting for a while and have established a strong level oftrust and confidentiality with one another. Weekly meetingsare recommended, or continue to follow the schedule alreadyestablished by your group.

If your group chooses weekly meetings, discuss two to three

chapters at each meeting. Each chapter ends with a series ofquestions for further reflection, many of which will aid groupconversation. At the beginning of each meeting, read a selec-tion from the scripture cited at the beginning of the corre-sponding chapter. Following the scripture reading and silentreflection, take each chapter question in turn and discuss. Inthe interest of time, focus on one or two questions in eachchapter that particularly speak to the group. Following your

discussion, end the meeting with prayers of gratitude and intercession from group participants.

Here are some overall questions for your groups consideration

How faithful am I to a schedule that includes daily prayer1.

What are the distractions or obstacles that keep me from2.praying every day?

How can we, as a group, support one another in praying3.daily?

What changes have I seen in my life as a result of dail4.prayer?

Recall a time when you remained centered when dealing5.with a person or situation that was uncentered.

Come Homeprovides wonderful guidance and instruction

for a private retreat, either done on your own or with thecompanionship of a spiritual director. The chapters are shortand conversational in tone, so theyre easy to read on a dailybasis. The accompanying reflection questions, however, willtake a bit more time to complete, so you may choose to stretchthe study of each chapter over several days or a week to fullyexperience the insights revealed by answering the reflectionquestions.

As you study and pray along with Sr. Marie, use a journal toreflect on the questions provided at the end of each chapter. Atthe start of your retreat, here are a few questions to consider:

Am I ready to commit to a schedule of daily prayer? How1.

will I structure my day to accommodate this?

What benefits do I hope to experience with daily prayer2.What sacrifices must I make to ensure Ill pray every day?

If you are already on a daily prayer schedule, how do you3.thinkCome Homewill enhance your experience?

Who are the people in your life whom youd describe a4.centered? How can they support you as you experiencCome Home?


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WEBSITESOF INTEREST

CONTEMPLATIVE OUTREACHwww.contemplativeoutreach.orgContemplative Outreach is a spiritual network of individuals and smallfaith communities committed to living the contemplative dimension ofthe Gospel. Contemplative Outreach annually serves over 40,000 people

worldwide through training, resources, workshops, and publication ofFr. Thomas Keatings work and other resources that support the con-templative life.

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITYhttp://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/cmo-retreat.htmlCreighton Universitys Office of Collaborative Ministry hosts this freeonline retreat for people who may not be able to take a traditional retreataway from home due to time or financial constraints. The retreat is basedon the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuitorder of priests.

NEWCREATION WILDERNESSwww.newcreationwilderness.orgNew Creation Wilderness offers programs in nature awareness, tradi-tional wilderness skills, and contemplative Christian spirituality to helppeople recognize and experience the healing, transforming presence ofGod in nature. New Creations head instructor is Mark Kutolowski, anOblate of Saint Benedict (a lay person who follows the Rule of Benedict

and monastic spirituality while living and working in the outside world).

Documents

Spiritual Book News Volume 55, No. 2