While at the Holy Cross Abbey retreat center in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, I ask Monk A if he’s ever heard of Evagrius, whose writings I keep seeing referenced in stuff I’m reading. Eagerly, he says yes and that Evagrius (unlike me, he pronounces it correctly, ee-VAY-gree-us), a fourth-century Desert Father, is featured in a chapter… Continue reading On the Nightstand: Steps to Spiritual Perfection
Category: On the Nightstand
On the Nightstand: The Great Magdalens
Talk about being led into temptation! A couple of publishers had big sales in the past couple of weeks and, well, what’s a girl to do? Yes, these eight books are all now on my nightstand. I’ll be starting with The Great Magdalens: Famous Women Who Returned to God after Lives of Sin. The table… Continue reading On the Nightstand: The Great Magdalens
On the Nightstand: This Sacred Moment
This book had me at the second line on the back cover: “Any and every situation holds the grace for the transformation called holiness.” Ah, but recognizing that in the moment can be so hard. I’m looking forward to a few more positive transformation moments, courtesy of the author, Albert Haase, a Franciscan priest and… Continue reading On the Nightstand: This Sacred Moment
On the Nightstand: The Cloud of Unknowing
This is one of those books I’ve been meaning to read for a while, but now it’s moved to the top of the pile. The Cloud of Unknowing‘s author (fittingly, unknown) wrote about contemplative prayer in the latter half of the fourteenth century. The introduction includes this rich passage: “One must come to the point… Continue reading On the Nightstand: The Cloud of Unknowing