Sparks of Inspiration (November)
We’re pleased to bring you Sparks of Inspiration, a new monthly series where Fr. Gregory will share a book recommendation that sparks curiosity, reflection, or just makes for a great read! Each month, he’ll choose a book, provide a short excerpt, and offer a brief explanation on why he thinks it’s an interesting and valuable read.
Whether you’re looking to deepen your faith, expand your horizons, or simply enjoy a good book, Sparks of Inspiration is here to guide you. Check out the first recommendation below, and let’s journey through these inspiring reads together!
Got a book suggestion or something you’d love to see featured? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The healing path. A memoir and an invitation.
James Finley
Orbis Books 2023
Maryknoll, New York 10545
Pages: 9-11
This profound work offers a contemplative journey into the spirituality of healing, shaped by the author's extensive experience in spiritual direction and psychotherapy. Drawing deeply from Thomas Merton's teachings and his exploration of the mystical path, it unfolds as a memoir of personal transformation from early-life traumas—such as an abusive father, mistreatment by his confessor in the monastery, and a turbulent marriage—towards healing and wholeness. Yet, beyond recounting his own journey, the book invites readers to connect with and reflect on the universal lessons that resonate with their own stories."
Fr. Greg
From the Introduction:
These reflections mark out a path, a way of life, in which we as human beings may be healed from all that hinders us from experiencing the steady, strong currents of divinity that flow on and on in the bittersweet alchemy of our lives. The surprising thing is that the intimate healing that spirituality brings into our lives is often hidden in the muck and mire of the very things about ourselves we wish were not true. The secret opening through which we pass into wholeness is hidden in the center of those wounds we are most afraid to approach. The door that grants access to boundless fulfillment is hidden in the unfinished business of our lives: the places where we do not want to feel vulnerable, the things we tend not to sit with or listen to, the sometimes sad, sometimes tender, sometimes disarmingly simple, sometimes joyful things that make up the intimate substance of who we really are and are called to be.
As I write this introduction, I am immersed in these intimate depths, sitting next to my beloved wife, Maureen, as she lies here dying in the final stages of Alzheimer's. Even though she is unconscious and cannot open her eyes to look at me, I believe she can hear me as I speak from my heart in whispered words. Just now I told her that the waves of unbearable pain and crying that from time to time overtake me seem to soften at least a little as I learn to be more accepting of the immensity and mystery of her death. After all, immensity and mystery have woven our years together from the very start.
The slowness with which she is gently fading away from me seems continuous with the slow setting of the sun out over the ocean, which is just beyond this darkening room where Maureen and I have lived and shared so much over the past thirty years.
I just told her that my suffering in trying to imagine life without her is eased in sensing that her soul is already beginning to pass over into God, leaving but a long vapor trail of herself in which she is still barely tethered to her body.
Over the years, Maureen and I would often share insights that came to us in our mornings, sitting here together in what we called our monastic silence. From time to time, she might share a passage from one of her favourite writings, perhaps the essay in Thomas Merton's Introduction Disputed Questions titled "A Philosophy of Solitude," or that lucid little commentary on Meister Eckhart, The Way of Paradox. I, in turn, might share a passage from the text of a mystic in which I was immersed at the time. Then we would return to our shared silent reading. It was such a sweet and subtle way to be so inexplicably one with each other in the presence of God. I suppose that I am now sitting here saying these things to her, knowing in my heart that she is listening from a depth of presence that I can scarcely imagine. I suppose too that I am sharing this with you as a way of inviting you to join us in these words, which are becoming our point of entry into the healing path this book explores. (…)
Disclaimer: The excerpts shared in our Sparks of Inspiration series are used under the principles of fair use for educational and discussion purposes. These excerpts are intended to provide a brief glimpse into the recommended books and encourage thoughtful reflection. All rights remain with the original authors and publishers.