Seeking His Mind (Voice from the Monastery) [Hardcover]

M. Basil Pennington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2002 | Series: Voice from the Monastery

When pilgrims stop by the abbey, where M. Basil Pennington was abbot, they have inevitably visited the nearby Hindu and Buddhist retreat centers. Citing the Hindu tradition of yoga and the Buddhist practice of meditation, they want to know what the Christian method of transformation is. To that, Pennington responds, one of the most ancient methods is lectio--hearing and meditating on the Word of God. In Seeking His Mind: 40 Meetings with Christ, Pennington reflects on forty sayings of Christ, offering readers a model for their own lectio.

According to Pennington, best known for his book Centering Prayer (over 1,000,000 sold), the purpose of lectio is to enter fully and reverently into communion with God. Lectio requires giving up everything to God, and in return, receiving everything from him and living fully in the first great commandment, "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole heart, your whole soul, and your whole strength."

For the Christian faithful, Seeking His Mind will come as a wise and prayer-filled guide to deeper faith and transformation. For spiritual seekers, it will serve as an enlightening and heartfelt introduction to one of the most ancient spiritual practices in Western religion. Divided into forty readings, Seeking His Mind is an ideal book for Lent, with a reading for each day of the season.

Seeking His Mind is the first title in a new series from Paraclete Press, A Voice from the Monastery. In this series, monastic writers share wisdom gained from a life devoted solely, radically to God--offering a glimpse of the cloistered life to those without the time, resources, or physical ability to step within the walls of a monastery.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A million readers embraced Basil Pennington's famous book Centering Prayer, which showcased a classical Christian spirituality and the author's easy, beautiful writing style. Both of those traits are also in evidence in the abbot's new devotional Seeking His Mind: 40 Meetings with Christ. Building off his work with lectio (which is literally translated as "reading" but can mean soaking up God through Scripture study, nature walks, or admiring a work of art), Pennington offers 40 readings based on the sayings of Christ. Divided into three sections and ending with Christ's passion and resurrection, this book would be perfect for daily Lenten devotions, but could be used at any time of year.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

. . . one of the foremost spiritual writers of our time. . . a model for readers to experience their own lectio -- Christian Retailing, September 2002

A great resource to start or expand lectio divina practice. -- Monastery Greetings, Christmas 2002

Easy, beautiful writing style. . . perfect for daily Lenten devotions, but could be used at any time of year. -- Publishers Weekly, October 26, 2002

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Paraclete Press (MA) (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557253080
• ISBN-13: 978-1557253088
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,284,174 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Voice, October 10, 2005

By 

JMack (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Seeking His Mind (Voice from the Monastery) (Hardcover)

In "Seeking His Mind", M. Basil Pennington brings Christians to the concept of lectio. More than just reading the Bible, lectio is absorbing the word of God through numerous means. We are to listen for the voice of God in our hearts, our neighbors, and other interactions with society. Through this, we will grow in our relationship to God.

Pennington has selected 40 entries in scripture for reflection which are concise but enlightening reads. I was surprised to note that Pennington even managed to inject humor into various points that give a new light to scripture as a Sunday sermon often does. Taking each story separately, the reader will enjoy the greatest benefit. The reader will need time to reflect on what he/she has read.

In the same breath, the author also encourages lectio through reading other Christian books. He is not trying to hawk his book, just foster the spiritual development of others. This is a great little book.