The Washington State Library for the Blind sent my mother an audio copy of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin’s book The Gift of Peace. My mother liked the book, so she ordered a print copy for me. I hadn’t heard of the book or the author; I wasn’t entirely sold on reading it….. Once I started reading the book….well… I’m sold.

This book of personal reflections includes reflections about prayer that resonate with my own experience and/or provide further encouragement in prayer:

• “….it [an intro to a particular style of prayer] certainly introduced me to the importance of prayer and the fact that prayer is not a one-sided practice. Rather, prayer involves speaking and listening on both sides. [page four]” Blogger note (i.e., Kim Burkhardt): I find my best experience with prayer to be when I am simply quiet and allow God’s presence to be present.
• “I decided to give God the first hour of my day, no matter what, to be with him in prayer and meditation where I wold try to open the door even wider to his entrance. This put my life in a new and uplifting perspective; I also found that I was able to share the struggles of my own spiritual journey with others. [page six]” Blogger note (i.e., Kim Burkhardt): I likewise found that active prayer makes it possible for me to share “the struggles of my own spiritual journey with others.”
• “To close the gap between what I am and what God wants of me, I must empty myself and let Jesus come in and take over. [page 16]”
• “[Jesus] wants me to focus on the essentials of his message…..Essentials ask us to to give true witness and to love others more. Nonessentials close us in on ourselves. [pages 16-17]”.

I am finding this book to be transparently, refreshingly self-revealing about the human journey in faith. A worthwhile read.

Kim Burkhardt blogs at A Parish Catechist and The Books of the Ages (and a member of the Association of Catholic Publishers). If you are a new visitor, it would be great to have you follow this blog (thank you!). If you know someone who would like this blog, please share it with them (thank you!). You can also support this blog by clicking here when you are going to shop on Amazon (that lands A Parish Catechist a commission on Amazon sales).