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| Michael Leach The Ten Best Spiritual Books You've Never Read Adapted from "Hidden Treasure: The 10 Best Spiritual Books You've Never Read." Appeared in U.S. Catholic (www.uscatholic.org), April 1999. Michael Leach is executive director of Orbis Books. He has edited and published more than a thousand books. |
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You hardly know where to begin. You've discovered a treasure house of ideas and inspirations, more commonly known as a bookstore. You're interested in spirituality, so you go to the religion or inspiration section. Rows of books attract you like the scent of fresh bread in a bakery, but how do you tell the wheat from the chaff? Which books deliver what they promise? Which ones have the ingredients to nourish you? You know that there are many wonderful books you've never read, written by authors you've never heard of, that come from little publishing houses you never knew existed. That's why you're reading this. So without further ado, here are 10 of the best spiritual books you've never read but, if you do, you'll never forget. |
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1. Gift of the Red Bird Paula D'Arcy Crossroad, 1996 0824515900 D'Arcy shares a remarkable spiritual adventure in Gift of the Red Bird. After losing her husband and baby in a car crash, she does her best to love God and help others but is hungry for understanding and for a faith that is stronger than fear. Years later she journeys alone into the wilderness, determined to encounter God in his creation. D'Arcy surrenders herself to God and a red bird appears and--I won't tell you more! |
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2. And There Was Light Jacques Lusseyran Parabola, 1998 0930407407 The author was blind and in Buchenwald, the Nazi death camp. But unlike most of us who have eyes to see but see not, he beheld a joyful vision of life that can awaken us all. This diamond of a book has been around since 1963 but chances are you've never seen it, let alone read it. And chances are even better that you won't be able to put it down. |
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3. Dialogues in Metapsychiatry Thomas Hora, M.D. PAGL Press, 1996 024516370 Hora, who passed away in 1995, drew on the teaching of Jesus as much as he did on conventional psychotherapy to evolve a way of seeing and being in the world that bears good fruit here and now. His insights are like pearls buried beneath baubles in a treasure chest. |
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4. Protect Us from All Anxiety: Meditations for the Depressed William Burke ACTA Publications, 1998 0879461845 If you suffer from depression, clinical or otherwise, this book offers insight and spiritual strength. The author is a caring priest who has suffered through these agonies and understands what so many of us go through. His journey, like yours or mine, is marked with pain but filled with grace. His honesty, faith, and compassion moved me deeply. When I finished the book, I felt a kinship with him and no small measure of assurance. Father Burke offers not a way out, but a way in. |
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5. Seventy Times Seven: The Power of Forgiveness Johann Christoph Arnold Plough, 1997 087406892X Beautiful books on forgiveness abound in the spiritual cave, and many seekers cherish this chalice of human stories. Story after story reveals the transforming power of healing in the lives of those who were hurt and those who hurt. Who among us doesn't need to hear and to speak —or simply think —words of forgiveness? This book is like a shining mirror reflecting our self to ourselves. |
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6. Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer David Steindl-Rast Paulist Press, 1990 0809126281 Forgiveness gives birth to gratitude, and a grateful heart leads to spontaneous prayer. Surprisingly, you'll find few books on this topic anywhere. This one by an author you may know is a blessing. It helps you to express a pure spiritual quality and shine with God. |
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7. Soliloquy Prayer: Unfolding Our Hearts to God Dennis Billy Ligouri, 1998 0764802224 Of the making of books on prayer there is no end. But where do you start? The 15 ìspiritual conversationsî in this book can help beginners bridge the gap between prayers of devotion and meditation. Readers of Soliloquy Prayer say that they often read only a few paragraphs and then begin dialogue with God on their own. |
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8. Dialogue of Life: A Christian Among Allah's Poor Bob McCahill |
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9. Francis: The Journey and the Dream Murray Bodo St. Anthony Press, 1988 0867161167 Saint Francis is a role model for the ages, and this biography is as poetic as his songs to Brother Sun and Sister Moon. Devotees of the saint agree that this is one of the best books on his life ever. Anyone interested in the spiritual life will value this small gem. |
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10. The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality Michael Downey Liturgical Press, 1993 0814655254 There are two kinds of religious books: those that transform hearts, and those that inform minds. The first nine books are all transformers. Here is a book of information that is so rich that it transcends its genre. With more than 300 articles, from Abandonment to Zeal, it's a treasure chest of spiritual knowledge. Valuable biographies lead you to other spiritual books that your would not know about any other way. |
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