Book recommendations

Sr. Dorcee, beloved2 Comments

I have recommended numerous books on this blog–many are listed under the “Books to read” tab. I realize that not every book that speaks to me personally will necessarily do the same for others, but I would like to at least mention a few books by Joshua Elzner that have greatly impacted my spiritual life over the last couple of years. I would even say that my relationship with the Lord has been significantly transformed as a result of reading his writings. So I offer them here knowing that there might be the possibility of them impacting your spiritual lives as well. 

This first book is set up to be read over the span of 40 days. It begins with a short autobiography written by Joshua in order to situate his writings within his own spiritual development. The chapters are short, just enough to chew on for a day. So many things from this book have impacted me. Here’s just a snippet from what I read a couple of days ago:

“All that I am, all that I have ever felt, known, had, or desired–all shame and fear, all desire and effort, all failure and guilt, all capacities and incapacities, all experience and expectation–everything, absolutely everything, is to be laid before him in trusting nakedness, and to be opened wide, in unconditional poverty, to receive his gift as he wishes to give it. And this gift is ultimately his very Self . . . ”

This next book is, as the cover indicates, a commentary on the Song of Songs. I have read many books on the Song of Songs, but this one by far opened up the Song in a way that no other had. If you are longing for intimacy with God, this is the book for you.

These next two have just been recently released and are the first two in the Dawnbringer series. They are written in the style of Tolkien and other great myth creators. This is an incredibly beautiful, well written story that has moved me to tears numerous times by its beauty and goodness. 

They can be purchased here.

I would love to know if you read him. 

“God loves to light little lights”

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When I found out that St. Peter’s keeps their Christmas tree and crèche up in the square until February 2, I decided (as our Superior) that we would keep our crèche in the chapel and all our Christmas lights up until then as well.   I always felt gypped that there were not 40 days to celebrate after Christmas as there are after Easter.  Then I discovered that February 2, the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas), is indeed 40 days after Christmas.  So, to me, it makes total sense to keep those Christmas lights lit.  If you drive past our house right now, you will still see our candle lights in the windows. I personally love clusters of little white lights. When we begin the Salve Regina at the end of night prayer, the guitarist dims all the lights in our chapel.  During this season, that leaves only the Christmas lights and the sole candle lit before the icon of the Mother of God. Yet the chapel still seems bright.

In the beginning of his 1999 Christmas message, Pope Benedict spoke of how God “loves to light little lights.”  I found that particularly encouraging as I thought of all of us who are desiring to be God’s witnesses to hope.  May it encourage you as well, and may you call it to mind whenever you see Christmas lights and candles:

The liturgy of the Mass at Dawn reminded us that the night is now past, the day has begun; the light radiating from the cave of Bethlehem shines upon us. . . .
At first, beside the manger in Bethlehem, that “us” was almost imperceptible to human eyes.  As the Gospel of St. Luke recounts, it included, in addition to Mary and Joseph, a few lowly shepherds who came to the cave after hearing the message of the Angels. The light of that first Christmas was like a fire kindled in the night.  All about there was darkness, while in the cave there shone the true light “that enlightens every man” (Jn 1.9).  And yet all this took place in simplicity and hiddenness, in the way that God works in all of salvation history.  God loves to light little lights, so as then to illuminate vast spaces.

May we allow God to light each of us, little lights in this darkened world.

Epiphany

Sr. Dorcee, beloved3 Comments

They have brought gold and spices to my King,
Incense and precious stuffs and ivory;
O holy Mother mine, what can I bring
That so my Lord may deign to look on me?
They sing a sweeter song than I can sing,
All crowned and glorified exceedingly:
I, bound on earth, weep for my trespassing,–
They sing the song of love in heaven, set free.
Then answered me my Mother, and her voice
Spake to my heart, yea answered in my heart:
‘Sing, saith He to the heavens, to earth, Rejoice:
Thou also lift thy heart to Him above:
He seeks not thine, but thee such as thou art,
For lo His banner over thee is Love.’

Christina Rossetti

20 January 1852

Water from a cistern

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Epiphany has traditionally been the celebration of three mysteries: the coming of the Kings, Jesus’ baptism, and the wedding feast of Cana. Here’s a beautiful little extract from “Hymn for Epiphany” by Paul Claudel, celebrating the wedding feast. I can’t help that what Christ did with the water is the very same he would do for each of us, without hesitation. Changing our impure water into incredible wine.

The third mystery truly is at Galilee’s wedding repast
(For the first time that we see Thee, it is not as Host but as Guest)
When Thou dost change into wine, on Thy Mother’s whispered word,
The secret water there in the ten stone water-jars stored,
The bridegroom lowers his eyes. He is poor and oppressed with love:
For cistern water is hardly drink for a marriage, you know,
Such as it is in August when the reservoirs are low,
All filled with the impurities and with insects, not fit to show.

You can touch God

Sr. Dorcee, beloved1 Comment

A reflection by Ann Voskamp:

Rejected at the inn, holy God come in small to where you feel rejected and small. God is with you now. Whever you are–in a soundless cry or hidden brokenness or in your ache–God always wants to be with you. You are not ever left alone in this. We are never left alone in this; God is with us.

This is Love you can’t comprehend. You can only feel and touch this kind. There, in the place where you feel rejected, you can be touched by God. There, in the places you feel small, you can touch God. He came in the flesh.

Come kneel close.

Let the warm breath of heaven fall on you.

God waits to be held.

God waits for you to draw close.

My friend, Benjamin Embley, at Contemplative in the Mud wrote a beautiful reflection on touch as the most religious sense. You can read it here.

The Ageless Hymn

Sr. Dorcee, beloved2 Comments

Our hearts’ longing:
  to sound Thy praises in fresh and untried ways,
To bring new pleasure to Thy ears
  on this Feast of Thy Birth,
  pouring at Thy feet rich ointment
   of fragrance sweet,
And crowning Thy head with golden garlands
  whose brightness is unvisioned.

But, alas, there is not song that is yet unsung
Or words unwritten to sound in Thy ears
Or gold of such wonder that is yet unseen.
There is nothing new found meet an fitting for Thee.

Except in Thee.
For You are the Praise and the Song and the Feast.
You alone are pleasing, and apart from Thee
  there is no beauty.
In You is every new song,
And a life lived in Thee is a crown on Thy brow.

So on this day when hearts burst forth,
And seek to find new ways to praise,
We gladly lose our lives in You,
  poured fully out at Thy feet.

And You, dear Christ, will be our Song,
  ageless and renowned,
The perfect Hymn of offering.

             26 December 1990
             Feast of the Incarnation