Description
Book SynopsisLuigi Gioia''s Say it to God was chosen for the 2018 Archbishop of Canterbury''s Lent Book--no mean feat for a first time author. In this new book, Gioia moves on to show the art of contemplation. But he points out from the start that contemplation is not a more advanced way of praying but a greater awareness of the presence of God. The defining mark of this awareness is that we become more and more aware of God''s presence, a unique kind of inner peace and joy which has been described by spiritual authors with a variety of arresting and often poetic images.
What Gioia describes is not some kind of spiritual wonderland; for it does not dispense us from struggles and doubts and often the non-evidence of God. It brings a peace which coexists with doubt, a peace which can flourish in the middle of struggles, a joy that we can discover even in suffering.
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Unexpected harmony PART ONE: FEELINGS The gift of feeling Irrelevant feelings Frustrating feelings Silent rest Restless desire Mindfulness Arresting awareness A strange ability
PART TWO: JOHN Empty hands Playful encounters Soft spot Chasing the fugitive God's touch Body and flesh Acknowledging stillness Contemplating the light Struggling to see The inner nagging
PART THREE: QUIETISM Sue the bastard! Embracing history A new sense of identity What did you expect?
EPILOGUE Yours is the night The teacher within
Acknowledgements A Note on the Author
