An Experience of Spirit - Book Review

Hello:

I really enjoy the many facets of BLOGging. Writing is becoming a habit. People are reading what I write. My company, Liguori Publications, is benefiting from the referring links and reader feedback. It wouldn't take me long to make a list, but I'd prefer to dwell on the many other sites I've been exposed to. I've enjoyed discovering the wealth of opinions, information and experiences that people are willing to share. Whether it is a Muslim site like my current renter, My Quraan, or the writings of an Evangelical Christian, like Another Man's Meat, I've found many thought provoking viewpoints.

Recently, Phil Dillon of Another Man's Meat agreed to review a Liguori title. I've been impressed by Phil's writing style for some time now and was interested to see how he would handle my request. The result is a beautifully engaging review of An Experience of Spirit: Spirituality and Storytelling by John Shea.

What I particularily enjoy about Phil's approach , was that he made the review very personal and reflected deeply about the book's impact. To quote him briefly, "After reading the first two chapters I saw that this was a book that needed a pilgrim, not a critic, to open its riches." Phil did a very nice job in identifying themes within the book that can resonanate within the spiritual life of both the Catholic and Evangelical. To quote him more fully:

One of Shea’s important lessons for Evangelicals like me is that there is a great mystery passed from generation to generation through the practice of rituals like Communion (Eucharist). I’ve felt for some time that one of the things missing in my life was the ability to connect, to have communion with God in the same way my Roman Catholic brethren are through the Eucharist. I’ve believed since my days in seminary that taking the Communion elements is more than just a symbol. There’s something far more powerful to it all. There is, or should be, more than just a symbolic transaction that takes place when a Christian partakes of the communion elements. He or she should connect deeply with the Christ of the elements, feel God’s cleansing power through them, and come from the experience viewing God, themselves, and their fellows in the light of that experience. Then, something wonderful follows. What we’ve been given, we want to communicate to others:

I encourage you to read the full review at Mystic Sweet Communion - A Review of "An Experience of Spirit". I'll wrap up today's post with a big 'THANK YOU' to Phil for this well written review.

Peace,

P. Del Ricci - Dark Glass