From The Shelves Of The Book Nook
Starting in early February, our Pastoral Associate, Sister Pat Torre plans to lead weekly sessions on the Lenten practice on lectio divina; a description of the program may be found in our parish bulletin. Whether or not one will want to join her, or if one’s inclination is to read at home, I have two suggestions to consider; either would be a good choice.
The first choice is one I have used several times, each time finding in it something refreshingly new. That there are precisely forty reflections means that there is one for each day of Lent, -although I have found them rewarding at other times in the year. Each selection considers a passage of scripture, sometimes a psalm, sometimes a piece of one of the Pauline epistles, most often a section from one of the gospels. There are three on the story of the Good Samaritan. Since the actual scripture text precedes the reflection, there is no need to look it up in your own Bible unless you prefer an alternative translation.
One of the particularly endearing qualities of Father Basil’s writing is his skill in identifying the most human characteristics as those which resonate in the words and example of Jesus: generosity, forgiveness, listening, gratitude. Yet no reflection is so cumbersome that it overpowers the scripture about which it speaks; it is the trajectory, so to speak, for the reader’s own prayer and reflection. At the time of the book’s publication, the author was Abbot of St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, MA. Considered one of the experts in Centering Prayer, and the author of numerous works on that subject alone, he has one book entitled Lectio Divina, Renewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures. The introduction to the book I am proposing gives a short, clear explanation of the practice for the reader.
The second choice I would suggest is different in style but only slightly in its scope. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (the words are taken from a hymn of Isaac Watts in the early 18th century) offers a short reflection on the scripture readings used in the liturgy for each day of Lent, both Old and New Testament. The texts are cited but not included, so the reader needs to keep the Bible in one hand and this book in the other. I have not found that to be a drawback; in fact, the slower pace becomes an asset in keeping my mind on the entire process.
Patrick Ryan, S.J., was familiar to me from his weekly homilies in “The Word” column of America magazine some years back. He has a doctorate in comparative religion from Harvard University and spent many years teaching in Africa. At the moment he is in Fordham. None of this impressive resume however, betrays the real depth of his knowledge of scripture, nor of his lively wit and skillful turn of phrase. Two years in a row, I have had the pleasure of reading his The Coming of Our God, a similar book which takes the reader through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Each time, I have finished with a sigh, grateful for the richness he shared with me, but longing for a continuation; “Please sir, I want some more.” Well here is the “some more,” and I am looking forward eagerly to the opportunity for the deepening experience which this work provides. When, I wonder, will he give us one on the fifty days of Easter?
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