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Advent: Step 1 Read
In the last blog post I mentioned a good formula for engaging in Advent and for deepening one’s spiritual life in general: read, pray, reflect, and act. A good first step in celebrating the season of Advent is to read.
Reading is an awesome gift, one which I am in awe of especially as I watch my baby nephew Simon voraciously listen to and look at books. He “reads” them in his own way, and it’s only a matter of time before he begins to see letters and words and meaning in the squiggly lines.
So it’s no wonder that reading is a good first step for Advent, for the new church year. Reading is an invitation to new life, to open up, to look outward, to take in new sights and ideas and perspectives. It’s like opening the window on an autumn day and letting the fresh, brisk air come in and wake us up, sharpen our senses! It can connect us with other people and ideas and help us to become more of who we are.
I’m recommitting myself to reading each day this Advent (and beyond I hope!). On my list are the following books:
The Beating of Great Wings: A Worldly Spirituality for Active, Apostolic Communities by Bernard J. Lee, S.M.
- This book was recently mentioned at a presentation given at our IHM Motherhouse on tapping into what Lee calls the “deep story”, the charism or gift that religious communities receive from their founders. He presents an integrated spirituality of Scripture and Eucharist, community, vows, mission, and presence of the Spirit.
Reading Jesus: A Writer’s Encounter with the Gospels by Mary Gordon
- I received a review copy of this, read the first few pages and had to put it down. Not because it was bad but because it was incredibly good — it cut to the heart both because of the superb writing and because of Mary Gordon’s honest, insightful thoughts and questions about the Gospel.
The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by James Martin, SJ
- I started reading this a few weeks ago, taking a chapter each week as a kind of “theme” to my week … desire, finding God, simplicity of life. Father Jim will be here at A Nun’s Life this Thursday for our live webcast In Good Faith. You are most welcome to join us!
Tracking and the Art of Seeing: How to Read Animal Tracks and Sign by Paul Rezendes
- I’ve had this book ever since I went on retreat in the Rocky Mountains. I found so many animal tracks on the hiking trails and wanted to know who had been in the woods sometimes just seconds before me. “Seeing” through the forest trees, seeing animals and the wildness for who and what they are was and continues to be a great mediation for me on the beauty and interconnectedness of God’s good creation. As we prepare for snow here in the midwest United States, I’m preparing to “see”.
What’s on your reading list this Advent? If you don’t have anything on the horizon, then what kind of book might you be looking for?
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As we are snowed in here in Ireland already… Reading is something I have been forced to do!
But over the last few hours I have read two books! Both none religious or spiritual I might add but good reads.
The first was a true story called ‘Evelyn’ it tells the story of a mans battle to win custody of his children from state care. The story is told from the point of view of the nine year old daughter in the center of the case. It was made into a film in 2000, starting Pierce Brosnan and a brilliant read in front of a warm fire. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298856/
The next book I have been dipping into is a collection of short stories by James Joyce called The Dubliners. A very good glimpse of Ireland in the 50′s and 60′s.
I am looking forward to Advent to be over in terms of reading because I will be getting two very interesting books Christmas day which I am looking forward to, namely ‘My Life with the Saints’, Fr James Martin and also ‘Anam Cara’ (Soul Friend) by John O’Donoghue.
i think i’ll re-read anne lamott’s books on faith. she sees things in a way i can really appreciate and she’s funny, too.
This is from a Untarian Universalist booklet of meditations I picked up a number of years ago. This is what I am reading today:
The Growing Season by Sara Moores Campbell
From: Into the Wilderness: A Meditation Manual. Skinner House Books; Unitarian Universalist Association, 1990.
“I am not religious,” says my neighbor, as he hoes the rows between his beans and corn.
“Oh yes, you are,” I say to myself.
To plant a seed is an act of faith.
To collect compost is a response of gratitude to the creator.
To water, fertilize, and mulch the ground is an expression of religious responsibility.
To kneel down and pull weeds is a prayer.
To harvest is to participate in the fullness and grace of the spirit.
To protect and replenish creation is to love God.
“I am not religious,” says my neighbor.
Yes, you are, I say.
On my “current” bookshelf:
Teresa of Avila: The Book of My Life
All the Way to Heaven: Selected Letters of Dorothy Day, ed. by Robert Ellsberg
Baptizing Harry Potter: A Christian Reading of J.K. Rowling, Luke Bell
Sophia: The Hidden Christ of Thomas Merton, Christopher Pramuk.
Just finished:
The Furious Longing of God, Brennan Manning
Mariette in Ecstasy, Ron Hansen (haven’t made up my mind what I think about it yet).
Lying Awake: a novel, Mark Salzman (Best thing I’ve read in a LONG time!)
They Called Her The Baroness, Lorene Hanley Duquin (best biography of Catherine Doherty. Available Amazon.com – NOT recent – but a WONDERFUL read!!!
Irish Country Christmas (and Irish Country Doctor, Village, Courtship) by Taylor. Fun reads based in Northern Ireland – sort of James Herriott with people instead of animals.
What can I say? I read a lot.
Recently I have been trying to be more deliberate about reading for personal enrichment or the plain enjoyment of it.
For Advent, I have three specific reflection books with which I am working plus the novel, recently made movie, “Eat Pray Love.” The Advent-themed books are “The Little Blue Book,” “Advent Grace: Daily Gospel Reflections” by the Daughters of Saint Paul, and “Joyous Expectations: Journeying Through Advent with Mary” by M. Jean Frisk. All good reads! Now only for me to see through my commitment to daily reading them all.