Strength in Darkness: Wisdom from John of the Cross (A Book Review)
. . . God nurtures and caresses the soul, after it has been resolutely converted to his service…(p. 2).
When I decided to review this title as a part of my agreement with the Catholic Company Dot Com I suppose I was in midst of “a dark night of the soul” experience. The many avid readers/subscribers to this blog know that I have been going through a lot of “stuff”. It seems that upon my return to the Catholic Church when I would pray it was as if my soul was before the court of heaven and often during the consecration of the Eucharist I would weep and sob. However, there came a point (surprisingly rapid and like a thief in the night) when I was to put it mildly “cold” to that feeling of spiritual transcendence. Have you ever experienced this? Well if so this is normal, treasured, yet dangerous phase in your spiritual growth. I likened it to dancing bare footed on the edge of a sword. This book will help you stay on the cutting edge of God’s tenderness as he peels away the layers of humanity and transforms you into the image of his divine creation!
This title is a great resource for your spiritual library. It is based on twenty-five (25) selected passages from the collective writings of St. John of the Cross: Dark Night of the Soul, The Ascent of Mt. Carmel, The Spiritual Canticle, and The Living Flame of Love. I would recommend reading a section (I-XXV) a day for a spiritual blessing and reassurance daily.
This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Strength in Darkness – Wisdom from John of the Cro. They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.
