Eternal Seasons: A Liturgical Journey with Henri J.M. Nouwen [Hardcover]

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Michael Ford (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

The cycle of the liturgical year engages us with an entirely different rhythm than our usual frenzied pace. It invites us to live time in eternity, to discover a new understanding of God and creation.

Henri Nouwen lived the liturgical year with sensitivity and imagination. The feasts and seasons inspired his sermons on the great mysteries of our faith. And praying the liturgical year gave him a glimpse of eternity in the present moment.

Nouwen s responses to the spiritual seasons were often delicately woven into the fabric of his writing. Eternal Seasons gathers, for the first time, selections for an entire liturgical year from forty of Nouwen s books.

This valuable companion features a thoughtful introduction for each of the liturgical seasons, followed by a generous selection of brief, readable passages. Whether focusing on the tenor of the season, the many dimensions of a feast day, or the import of a particular saint, these readings enable us to reflect and pray in closer harmony with the church s year.

Eternal Seasons is ideal for personal reflection, group settings, and as a fresh resource for liturgical ministers of all Christian faiths.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

HENRI J.M. NOUWEN is one of the most popular spiritual writers of our time. He wrote more than forty books, among them the best-selling Out of Solitude. He taught at the University of Notre Dame, as well as Yale and Harvard Universities. From 1986 until his death in 1996, he was part of the L Arche Daybreak Community in Toronto where he shared his life with people with developmental disabilities.

MICHAEL FORD has worked as a journalist, lecturer and broadcaster. He has a degree in theology from the University of Bristol and a doctorate in Christian spirituality. He is the author of Wounded Prophet: A Portrait of Henri J.M. Nouwen (Doubleday, 1999) and Father Mychal Judge: An American Heroe (Paulist, 2002). --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From AudioFile

Drawn from 40 books written by Henri Nouwen, this is an inspiring collection of passages to be heard throughout the liturgical year. Nouwen was a profoundly inspiring writer who taught at Harvard, Yale, and Notre Dame. His editor and longtime friend, Ford, explains that the year's cycle of liturgical feasts--Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost--gave the author a framework for exploring how to know Jesus throughout the year. Listening to the inner substance of the church's rituals and customs offers guidance for handling life's ups-and-downs and for finding joy in one's daily existence. Paul Smith is a comforting and genuine interpreter. T.W. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 190 pages
• Publisher: Sorin Books (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893732770
• ISBN-13: 978-1893732773
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,251,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Henri Nouwen was born in Holland in 1932 and ordained a Catholic priest in 1957. He obtained his doctorandus in psychology from Nijmegen University in the Netherlands and taught at Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard. He experienced the monastic life with Trappist monks at the Abbey of the Genesee, lived among the poor in Latin America with the Maryknoll missioners, and was interested and active in numerous causes related to social justice. After a lifetime of seeking, Henri Nouwen finally found his home in Canada, as pastor of L'Arche Daybreak - where people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers live together in community.

Henri Nouwen wrote over 40 books on spirituality and the spiritual life that have sold millions of copies and been translated into dozens of languages. His vision of spirituality was broad and inclusive, and his compassion embraced all of humankind.

He died in 1996. His work and his spirit live on.

Henri Nouwen pronounced his name "Henry Now-en." For more information on his life and work, please visit www.henrinouwen.org .

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Year-round Reflections for Individuals and Groups, August 4, 2004

By 

Carol Blank (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Eternal Seasons: A Liturgical Journey with Henri J.M. Nouwen (Hardcover)

Eternal Seasons gathers, for the first time, selections for an entire liturgical year from 40 books written by Henri Nouwen, who lived and prayed the liturgical year as a way of connecting with the great mysteries of our faith. Michael Ford presents the writings in nine sections: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, Transfiguration, and Recollection. Each section consists of an introduction and a collection of passages focused on a feast or saint commemorated during the given season. This resource is suitable for personal and group use. An group leader could open to any page within the appropriate seasonal section and find a short quote from Nouwen guaranteed to lead to a meaningful discussion.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A rich resource for any pilgrim, August 2, 2006

By 

V., James Jeffery (reno, nevada, usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eternal Seasons: A Liturgical Journey with Henri J.M. Nouwen (Hardcover)

Nouwen wrote as he spoke, so simple and yet so profound. Michael Ford has done us a great service in compliling Houwen's writings into the framework of the liturgical year. Those who follow the year will have rich food for their journey, but the book is not just for them. It offers anyone who wants to dig deeper into the Christian life a real companion on their travels.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An ideal introduction for a whole new generation, July 9, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eternal Seasons: A Liturgical Journey with Henri J.M. Nouwen (Hardcover)

Compiled and edited by journalist, lecturer, and broadcaster Michael Ford, Eternal Seasons: A Liturgical Journey With Henri J.M. Nouwen showcases a series of sermons on the great mysteries of the Christian Faith . Drawn from his forty books, Here are the late Henri Nouwen's responses to the spiritual seasons that, in their entirety, cover the entire liturgical year. Eternal Seasons is an ideal introduction for a whole new generation of Christian readers to Nouwen's thought and insights, and will engage a desire on the part of those readers to seek out Nouwen's earlier writings.