Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel-On Prayer [Paperback]

Thomas Dubay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1989

This book is the fruit of Fr. Dubay's many years of study and experience in spiritual direction and in it he synthesizes the teachings on prayer of the two great doctors of the Church on prayer--St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila--and the teaching of Sacred Scripture.

But the teaching that Fr. Dubay synthesized is not collected from Teresa and John for contemplatives alone. It is meant for every Christian and is based on the Gospel imperative of personal prayer and the call to holiness. All the major elements of these great teachers are ordered, commented on and put in the context of their scriptural foundations. Here is an outstanding book on prayer and the spiritual life written by one of the best spiritual directors and retreat masters of our time, and based on the writings of the Church's two greatest mystical doctors.

Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Pr; Presumed First Edition edition (September 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898702631
• ISBN-13: 978-0898702637
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Catholicism > Saints

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A life-changing book, March 15, 2002

By 

Samuel A Schmitt (Falls Church, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel-On Prayer (Paperback)

This book is a must for anyone who desires a closer relationship with God. It is literally a life-changing book and shows how deep contemplative prayer is possible for anyone in any walk of life. It dispels many misconceptions and objections about contemplative prayer: that it is impractical, takes too much time, is esoteric or has nothing to do with everday life and relationships. The author, basing himself squarely on two great masters of prayer, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, emphasizes that contemplative prayer is a gift of God; we cannot "earn" it or merit it in any way, though we have to make ourselves open to it by trying to live more and more according to Jesus' gospel. It does not depend on techniques (despite what many people think), but God will not give it unless we really want it. Contemplative prayer, a deep imersion in God, as Fr. Dubay so passionately puts it, is the "one thing" of the gospel, the "pearl of great price", yet God wants it for everyone. I don't come across many books that have changed my outlook on life, but this is one.

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Great Tradition, April 9, 2000

By 

Dan (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel-On Prayer (Paperback)

Fr. Thomas Dubay has been able to synthesize the teachings of two of the greatest teachers and mystics in the Catholic tradition. A comprehensive discussion of St. Teresa's "mansions" and St. John of the Cross's "dark night of the soul," this book is also a practical guide for people who want to grow in prayer and in the universal call to holiness. Fr. Dubay is an authority on both theory and practice, and is a much sought-after spiritual director. His explanation of discerning genuine encounters with God versus one's own self-delusion is especially useful in the realm of contemplation, since contemplation is by its very nature not an objective experience. He elucidates the movement from meditation to contemplation and distinguishes it from other psychological states. His chaper on friendship and the development of virtues sets the entire contemplative experience within the context of the goal and purpose of prayer. This is a meaty book, but it is well worth the effort.

54 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A How to Guide about being a Christian Mystic, January 3, 2000

By 

David Bennett (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel-On Prayer (Paperback)

This book is basically a How-to guide on how to be a Christian mystic, focusing on the writings and life of John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila. It is a very concise book, and is not light reading, but I enjoy that fact. I highly recommend this book for the individual interested in deepening their experiences with the Triune God.