I recently came into possession of two books that have been spiritually refreshing as well as very engaging.
Dialogues with Silence: Prayers and Drawings of Thomas Merton was a gift from my husband. We are both longtime Merton fans, and are always excited to find something new written by or about him. This book is my first exposure to Merton’s rarely seen, stark line drawings – mostly of his fellow monks, as well as other spiritual subjects such as Mary and Christ. The drawings provide a new glimpse into Merton’s artful playfulness, and also his pleasure in seeing God in those around him. The accompanying prayers beautifully reflect Merton’s yearning for a closer connection with the Father.
Editor Jonathan Montaldo is director of the Thomas Merton Centre at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. He has done a stellar job of gathering together these prayers and drawings from Merton’s poetry, journals, letters and books.
Here is one of Merton’s many stirring prayers found in the book:
Cradle me, Holy Spirit, in your dark silver cloud
And protect me against the heat of my own speech,
My own judgments, and my own vision.
Ward off the sickness of consolation and desire,
Of fear and grief that spring from desire.
I will give you my will
For you to cleanse and rinse of all this clay.
Whether you are a long-time Merton fan or would like an introduction, Dialogues with Silence is a small treasure, to be savoured slowly.
The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self Discovery is a book that was chosen by a group of wonderful women in my life. For years, we have been getting together once a week for Bible study, book discussions and prayer. Reading this book together helped us to deepen our relationship with ourselves, with each other, and with God. It sparked many intimate and lively discussions about the false selves we hide behind, and how we can discover – and grow to love – our true identities as children of God. I found that as we thoughtfully took our time reading and discussing each chapter, it was as if we were unwrapping a gift – the gift of self-acceptance.
Benner writes with plenty of compelling stories…and a healthy dose of honesty. He encourages us as readers to be equally honest, suggesting that it’s easy to lie to ourselves when we speak of our relationship with God. “So often our cliché-ridden God-talk is seriously out of touch with our actual experience.” Benner does more than just give a discourse on his ideas; he also suggests we put some of it into practice. Each chapter ends with a challenge, such as taking time to ask God to reveal to us “what makes us feel most vulnerable, and most like running for cover.” The results of these exercises provided much fodder for discussion in my women’s group.
David Benner is a well-known author, psychologist and professor of Psychology and Spirituality at Richmond Graduate University in Atlanta, Georgia. He has written or edited over 30 books. In The Gift of Being Yourself, he skillfully leads readers on a path for growth – growth in knowledge of God, and growth in being lovingly candid about one’s own nature. It’s a very helpful book for anyone interested in pursuing true, lasting transformation from within.
Dialogues with Silence: Prayers and Drawings of Thomas Merton
Edited by Jonathan Montaldo
Harper Collins, 2004
The Gift of Being Yourself
By David G. Benner
InterVarsity Press, 2004
