The God That Comes Near

The word spirituality can be used in a Christian context and can rightly remind us of something very basic about the Christian life. The word spirituality comes from a Latin term, spiritualitas, which, in turn, is derived from the word spiritus, the Latin word for spirit. Spiritualitas appears to have been coined by Latin-speaking Christians in North Africa in the second century AD to describe all the activities in a believers life that are prompted and inspired by the Holy Spirit. These believers rightly discerned that the Holy Spirit is at the heart of all that can be genuinely called spirituality. True spirituality is intimately bound up with the Holy Spirit and his work. It is the Holy Spirit, for example, who is the one who makes Gods love real for us God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5: 5). And it is also he who enables us to embrace Christ as Saviour and Lord no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12: 3).

This book is written to reawaken awareness of both the beauty of the psalms and their ability to speak with relevance to our contemporary culture--a generation in danger of losing the psalmist’s voice. It is written for those who may have felt marginalized by church or society, whether from loss, tragedy, illness, or misuse of power. May this generation hear the voice of the psalmist pointing them to a God who desires honest expression, who comes close to listen to their cries, and points them to a deeper understanding of who he is and how he loves. May the words of the psalmist lead them out of isolation and into authentic community. The author’s approach to the psalms begins with recognition of the intertwining of imagery with the literary structure of the poetry found in the psalms. The imagery in the psalms comes from an earthy connection of the psalmist with the land of scripture. Understanding the imagery allows the reader to “see” the psalms and receive the message. It deepens the relevance of the psalms to speak into the myriad contexts in our present day multi-cultural world. Recognition of the religious and social dynamics of ancient Israelite life--such as kingship, Zion as a place of God’s presence, and the covenant relationship of a people with their God--provide further clues to understanding the message of the psalms. Along with the rich imagery present in the psalms, this book explores the literary structure of the poetry in the psalms. Recognition of key characteristics of Hebrew poetry allows the words to “sing.” In every psalm a vivid echo of ancient voices resounds, building century upon century of expression, reaching into the present. If one reads carefully, the melodies and message can be heard. The music of the psalms breathe with life and relevance. Psalms are filled with movement to hope and praise. Yet, they address the reality that life at times hurts. The psalmist gives honest voice to pain and affirms God’s presence in the darkest moments of life. This book explores the importance of lament both individually and in community as a vehicle to healing and a deeper understanding of God’s care. The book closes with an examination of five select psalms that are representative of different types of psalms found in the psalter. They were chosen because of personal relevance. Through imagery, structure, and voice the psalms convey movement from honest expression to hope. Hope leads to thanksgiving. Praise resounds because of who God is and how he cares.

According to the Second Vatican Council, "We ought to try to discover a new reverence for the Eucharistic mystery. Something is happening that is greater than anything we can do. The magnitude of what is happening is not dependent on the way we perform it, but all our efforts to perform it aright can always be at the service of the great act that precedes our own and that we cannot achieve for ourselves... The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows." This profound statement about the Eucharist stands at the center of this book by Cardinal Ratzinger. In these previously unpublished texts, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and a scholar of international repute, leads the reader into the heart of the Christian faith and its central mystery. Cardinal Ratzinger compellingly shows us the biblical, historical, and theological dimensions of the Eucharist. The Cardinal draws far-reaching conclusions, focusing on the importance of one's personal devotion to and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, for the personal reception of Communion by the individual Christian, as well as for the life of the Church. For Ratzinger, the drive toward any transformation of the world on the social plane also grows out of the celebration of the Eucharist. He beautifully illustrates how the omnipotent God and Creator comes intimately close to us in the Holy Eucharist, the Heart of Life. Book jacket.

Our Veggie friends return in three new Digital Pop-up (TM) board books, each written especially for pre-schoolers.

The Second Vatican Council says, "We ought to try to discover a new reverence for the Eucharistic mystery. Something is happening that is greater than anything we can do. The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is the font from which all her power flows." This profound statement about the Eucharist stands at the center of this book by Cardinal Ratzinger. He compellingly shows us the biblical, historical, and theological dimensions of the Eucharist. The Cardinal draws far-reaching conclusions, focusing on the importance of one's personal devotion to and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, for the personal reception of Communion by the individual Christian, as well as for the life of the Church. For Ratzinger, any transformation of the world on the social plane grows out of the celebration of the Eucharist. He beautifully illustrates how the omnipotent God comes intimately close to us in the Holy Eucharist, the Heart of Life.